Shopkeeper dies of ‘torture’ in custody

LAHORE: Scores of people demonstrated on Nisbet Road to protest the death of a young shopkeeper allegedly in custody of the Gowalmandi police here on Wednesday.

The traders and family members placed the body of the youth on the road and demanded immediate arrest of police officials responsible for the death.

They alleged the policemen took Shahzad, 25, into custody from his shop in Photo Market on Nisbet Road, thrashed him and took him to the police station.

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People hold demo against police

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Relatives of Shahzad alleged that the policemen subjected him to severe torture in the police station which caused his death.

Asghar, a relative, told reporters that Shehzad had taken a shop on rent, but later he developed a dispute with the owner. The owner sent him a court notice to vacate the shop, but Shehzad got a stay order.

Asghar said the owner’s wife lodged an FIR against Shehzad for not vacating the shop.

“The police reached the shop at 1:30pm on Wednesday, tortured Shehzad and took him to the police station where he died,” Asghar claimed.

The protesters shouted slogans against the police brutality and demanded immediate suspension and arrest of those responsible for the inhuman act.

The protesters dispersed when some police officers held negotiations with the family of the deceased’s youth and assured them that justice would be done.

Meanwhile, the chief minister took notice of the incident and sought a report from the DIG (Operations).

City Division SP (Operations) Asad Sarfraz denied the allegation of torture and claimed the youth died of cardiac arrest.

He said the police took Shahzad and a woman (F) into custody on Wednesday when both scuffled over a shop dispute.

He said a case was lodged against them under section 107 and 158 of the PPC with the Gowalmandi police station.

The SP said the police set the woman free while the youth complained of chest congestion during custody. The police immediately took him to Mayo Hospital where Shahzad died, he said.

The body was sent for the postmortem examination, he said, and added that a case would be registered in the light of its report.

Published in Dawn, April 23rd, 2015

Category: Custodial killing