Doctors scuffle over post-mortem issue

Published October 10, 2005

MULTAN, Oct 9: Two members of a medical board constituted to conduct postmortem of a person who died in police custody, reportedly scuffled with each other over a technical issue to ascertain the death cause.

Reports said that, arrested in a dacoity case, Muhammad Sabir (22) was reported dead by New Multan police on Friday. Speaking at a press conference, District Police Officer Muneer Chishti claimed that Sabir had committed suicide by hanging himself from a shower-tap in the lock-up.

The police had requested the district and sessions judge to order a judicial inquiry into the incident, who appointed Judicial magistrate Liaquat Ali Naqvi as inquiry officer.

A medical board of the Civil Hospital conducted the postmortem on the body on Saturday. The board, reportedly, found no torture marks on the body and strangulation was determined as the death cause. A member of the board, Dr Saeed Rabbani suggested that the Hyoid bone of the deceased be sent to the bacteriologist to know how the strangulation was caused.

But, another board member, Dr Waseem Zaidi, however, was opposed to the idea. Both the members exchanged hot words over the issue and later allegedly entered into a scuffle.

Dr Rabbani’s point of view was, however, also supported by some other board members.