LAHORE, May 1: A strong protest was lodged outside the Lower Mall Police Station on Sunday as a newly-married son of a police constable who was declared innocent in a double-murder case, allegedly died of police torture.

The family of the deceased, Tahir alias Bobi, 25, alleged the Lower Mall SHO and his subordinates tortured the youth to death after failing to elicit a ‘confessional’ statement from him about his alleged involvement in a shooting incident that resulted in killing of two police constables on Outfall Road in March this year.

The protesters, who raised slogans against the police officials they held responsible for the death, demanded an exemplary punishment for them. They blocked the Lower Mall by burning old tyres and also tried to torch police property during their three-hour protest.

This is second such incident in a span of five days as earlier a 30-year-old man was allegedly tortured to death by some officials of Green Town police.

Tahir’s father Constable Naveed Iqbal, a resident of Islampura and currently associated with the Johar Town investigation police, alleged that SHO Naveed Azam and his six subordinates tortured his son to death even after he was declared innocent. Iqbal told reporters during the protest that he had handed over his son to City SP (operations) Shahzad Asif Khan two weeks ago for interrogation after the SP suspected Tahir’s involvement in the incident.

He said Tahir was kept in illegal confinement, and he was not even allowed to see his son during his detention.

He said after the Crimes Investigation Agency declared his son innocent, Lower Mall SHO Naveed Azam and his subordinates demanded Rs500,000 as bribe for Tahir’s release but he failed to arrange the amount.

Iqbal said he was informed by a police official on Sunday that his son died in custody.

Iqbal, a father of three, further alleged that Misri Shah SHO Maqsood Gujjar also subjected his son to torture during interrogation.

A City division investigation wing official told Dawn requesting anonymity that Tahir’s body bore marks of torture and that he was already declared innocent by the Kotwali CIA police.

He said the SHO and his subordinates picked Tahir and two others -- Faisal Gujjar and Rashid --in connection with the double murder, kept them in illegal custody.

Meanwhile, a murder case was registered against nine people, including two SHOs and their seven subordinates, who were also suspended from service by the DIG (investigation) on the complaint of the victim’s mother.

The accused officials are at large.

PROBE: A two-member inquiry team, which was constituted by the Punjab additional IG investigation on Friday to probe the death of a citizen, Ziaullah, in the Green Town police custody, failed to meet Saturday’s deadline after five accused in the case, including former SHO inspector Muhammad Afzal, did not appear before the investigators.

Ziaullah allegedly died of police torture on April 27, three days after he was picked from his friend’s house in Bagrrian.

Muhammad Amlish, who is currently working as Crimes DIG, told Dawn that he and an SSP visited the Green Town police station on Saturday and recorded statements of the complainant Muhammad Riaz (brother), other family members of the deceased, Saddar SP (operations) and the Green Town DSP. He said none of the accused, who had reportedly secured interim bails from a court, joined the inquiry despite being summoned by the investigators.

The DIG said the information he gleaned so far showed that all accused had fled their houses, adding he would be submitting the report to additional IG (investigation) on Monday.

He said according to Green Town DSP Ijaz Rasheed, he was misinformed about the death cause by ASI Ali Asghar who claimed Ziaullah died after falling from a roof during a police raid.

The DSP, on the direction of Saddar SP, examined the body and found ASI’s claim was false.

The DIG said an ex-nazim of a Green Town union council had also identified Ziaullah as one of the robbers who deprived him of cash and valuables on April 24.

The DIG said at least 11 cases against the deceased, six cases against his brother Riaz (complainant), five against his brother Zahoorullah and two cases against his third brother Sanaullah had been traced in different police stations of Okara and Lahore.

Meanwhile, police sources told this reporter that the accused, including suspended SHO Muhammad Afzal and Chowki in-charge Ali Asghar, were trying to influence the investigation by using their connections.