Family baton-charged for protest against custodial death

GUJRANWALA: The family of the man who died in custody at the Cantonment Police Station on Thursday received a baton charge from police for holding a protest and demanding an inquiry.

The family of deceased Liaqat Masih had blocked the GT Road in protest against the police for torturing their man to death.

Masih, 30, was arrested in a theft case but he allegedly died of police torture during interrogation.

Police claimed that Masih was escorted from the central jail for investigation in the police station where he had a heart attack. He was taken to the DHQ hospital where he passed away.

IG forms probe team

However, Masih’s family rejected the police version and held a rally outside the police station, shouting slogans against police besides blocking the GT Road.

Police used batons against them, forcing them to disperse. Traffic remained suspended for four hours while long queues of vehicles could be seen on the GT Road for several kilometres.

IGP: Punjab Inspector General of Police Mushtaq Sukhera took notice of the news and constituted an inquiry team led by Gujaranwala SSP Operations retired Capt Muhammad Ali Zia.

He said that initial investigation showed that Liaqat Masih was taken into custody for his alleged involvement in a theft case registered by the Cantonment police station.

He said that on Wednesday night the arrested suspect was not feeling well and was taken to hospital where he died.

FLYOVER: The district administration cleared 82 kanal land and handed it over to the National Logistic Cell (NLC) for construction of a flyover at Lohianwala Bypass after razing about 100 commercial buildings.

Many shops, hotels and restuarants were razed to the ground in the five-day operation.

Talking to Dawn, City Assistant Commissioner Attiqur Rehman said the Punjab government had paid Rs3bn compensation to almost all the affected shopkeepers and commercial plaza owners. He claimed the flyover would be constructed within 10 months at the cost of about Rs4bn. He said the traffic plan had already been chalked out and it would be announced within next few days.

Published in Dawn, January 15th, 2016