HYDERABAD: Policemen dies in custody

Published January 9, 2002

HYDERABAD, Jan 8: A police constable of Dadu district, who was in custody at Qasimabad police station, died under mysterious circumstances on Monday night.

Qasimabad police have however claimed that the detainee died due to high blood pressure.

According to Qasimabad police, Mohammad Ali Sheikh, was arrested by two police constables on Monday morning after Nisar Sheikh informed the police that one drunkard was trying to enter the homes of residents of Qasimabad phase-I.

The detainee told the police that he was suffering from severe pain in his head and he wanted to take rest. He was allowed to take rest in the courtyard of the police station.

The SHO said that he died at around 7.30pm on Monday.

He was taken to Civil Hospital, Hyderabad, where he was pronounced dead at 8.30 pm.

Quoting Ali Ahmed Shaikh, brother of the deceased, the police said that he was admitted to Asim Clinic on Sunday night after his blood pressure shot up to 210/170.

His condition did not improve though he was administered injection and he left the clinic without informing the hospital staff.

The police further said that it appeared that the Shaikh had taken some intoxicant or medicines of high-doses which made him dizzy. He was entering the bungalows considering them to be his house.

The SHO said that the body was handed over to his brother after the post mortem was conducted by a medical board in the presence of two judicial magistrates.

Investigations by Dawn on Tuesday revealed that Mohammad Ali Shaikh, the Naib Moharir of a court in Kotri town, Dadu district, reported to the Asim Clinic at around 2.30am and 3am along with two other attendants where he was checked by a lady doctor, Nuzhat.

The blood pressure of Shaikh was 210/170, which, the doctor said, was very high for people of his age in normal circumstances. The doctor said that the patient was administered injection of Valium- 10 and his condition improved between 4am and 5am.

The doctor said that at around 5 am the patient felt quite relaxed and left the hospital after informing her that he was feeling quite well wanted to take rest at home.

The doctor pointed out that in case the condition of the patient had not been good he could not have even walked out of the hospital, keeping in view his high blood pressure.

The family members of Abdul Qadir Junejo and Nisar Sheikh also confirmed that the deceased was trying to enter their bungalows.

The police said that they had not subjected Sheikh to any form of torture.