ASI arrested for youth’s death in custody

LAHORE

Harbanspura police have arrested two people including an ASI on charges of death of a 20-year-old man in custody two days ago.

DIG Operations Dr Haider Ashraf took the notice of the incident and appointed Cantt SP Mustafa Hameed to investigate the case. An FIR 269 has been registered against accused ASI Siraj Din and Abdul Jabbar on the complaint of Ayesha Bibi, mother of victim Zubair Maseeh.

Ayesha Bibi worked at the house of Abdul Jabbar. On March 3, the house owner had lodged a complaint to the police that Ayesha Bibi had stolen a mobile phone and jewellery from his house. The police registered a case against Ayesha and appointed ASI Siraj Din as investigation officer. Sources in Investigation Wing told The News that the investigation officer following the approach of an MPA raided the house of Ayesha and arrested her and her brother Arshad Masih and son Zubair on March 6.

ASI Siraj allegedly tortured Zubair, who was already injured in a road accident on February 22. Zubair’s condition deteriorated over which Siraj and Constable Nusrat took him to Mian Munshi Hospital where he succumbed to his injuries. On March 8, the family and locals of the area staged a protest on Bund Road and blocked the road. Punjab CM and DIG Operations took notice of the issue. Police released Ayesha and Arshad Maseeh and registered a case against ASI Siraj Din and Abdul Jabbar and arrested them.

ASI Siraj claimed Ayesha Bibi had stolen gold and a mobile phone from the house of Abdul Jabbar and he had recovered booty from her custody. He said Zubair was not tortured to death and he died of injuries he received in an accident that could be verified from documents of Govt Mian Munshi Hospital where he was admitted for the treatment. The family of Zubair was protesting just to pressurise him, he maintained.

SSP Investigations Rana Ayyaz Saleem sharing the initial investigation said ASI Siraj had illegally taken Zubair into custody as he was not nominated in the FIR. He added Constable Nusrat and ASI Siraj had shifted him to hospital when he started vomiting and his condition went critical. The victim could not survive over which his family protested, he added.

To a question, the SSP said he would write to the government for judicial inquiry into the incident. Meanwhile, he said the investigation of the case would be given to an officer of DSP rank after change of investigation through a board. To another query, SSP said SP Cantt was also conducting an inquiry into the incident.

About post-mortem report, Rana Ayyaz said they have yet to receive the autopsy report. —Muhammad Shahzad

Published in: The News

Category: Custodial killing