MULTAN, Nov 17: Police have yet to complete a probe into the suicide of an alleged dacoit in the lock-up of Haram Gate police station.
Khurrum Shahzad (24) had set himself on fire by sprinkling oil on his body in the lock-up on Oct 29. He got the oil from a motorcycle parked inside the lock-up. Afterwards he died in Nishter Hospital on Nov 2.
Talking to newsmen in hospital, Shahzad had revealed that he attempted suicide due to the severe police torture to which he had been subjected since Sept 17 last. He particularly named Mumtazabad SHO Mehr Waseem among the policemen who tortured him.
He had alleged that Waseem threatened him that he would defile his (Shahzad’s) sister if he did not confess to his ‘crimes’. “I preferred death over humiliation,” were the words of Shahzad at his death bed in hospital.
However, the Delhi Gate police had showed in its record that Shahzad was arrested the day he attempted suicide. The case of possessing illegal arms was also showed to be registered on the same day. He was lodged in the Haram Gate police station because Delhi Gate had no lock-up.
In an application to the area judicial magistrate, deceased’s mother Shahnaz Bibi had alleged that his son was set ablaze by police to cover up their crime and later the police termed it a suicide. The magistrate had sought report from the Multan DPO.
DPO Hamid Mukhtar had first deputed the Haram Gate circle DSP to probe the matter, but after Shahzad’s death the inquiry was handed over to SP (investigations) Malik Mureed Husain. As of now the inquiry officer has not submitted his findings even two weeks after the death of Shahzad.
When contacted on Sunday, the inquiry officer said the family of Shahzad was busy in his posthumous rites and inquiry would be inconclusive without getting their statements.
He said the deceased’s statement before journalists had no legal value and only his statement recorded before the medical officer would be considered.
Inspector Mehr Waseem was among five SHOs of various police stations in Multan who were known for their corrupt practices.
Recently talking to Dawn, a senior police official admitted that only Mehr Waseem was among the corrupt SHOs who was posted in Multan. Mehr Waseem is likely to go to America soon on an advance training course along with a batch of ‘efficient’ police officers.