BAHAWALNAGAR: The alleged death of a man in police custody sparked a massive protest here, while three policemen were suspended and the A Division police lodged a first information report against them on the complaint of the victim’s brother.

Saddar Assistant Sub-Inspector (ASI) Ismail Mohal had arrested Iftikhar alias Goga around two weeks ago over suspicion that his vehicle had been used in a cattle theft incident. Mohal allegedly kept Iftikhar in custody illegally and tortured him. Iftikhar died on Sunday evening.

Police shifted the body to DHQ Hospital and told Iftikhar’s family that he died due to a cardiac arrest.

Family members and a large number of people from the area assembled outside the hospital on Sunday and staged a protest. Later, they gathered at Minchinabad Chowk and staged a demonstration there. They set tyres ablaze and blocked the road for two hours. Police did not try to quell the protest.

Sensing gravity of the situation, A Division police on the directions of the Bahawalnagar district police officer (DPO) registered a case against Saddar Station House Officer Javed Gujjar, ASIs Mohal and Taj Shaheen late on Sunday and suspended them.

DPO Muntazir Mehdi claimed the victim expired due to a cardiac arrest and not alleged police torture. However, he admitted the victim had been kept in police custody illegally.