KARACHI:
Three assistant sub-inspectors of the special investigation unit and four constables were on Friday suspended in connection with the death of a youth in custody, allegedly due to torture.
According to deceased Irfan’s relatives, he was visiting from Bahawalpur and on Wednesday morning, SIU officials detained him and his three friends while filming videos during breakfast. Their families were unable to reach them after the SIU officials allegedly confiscated their mobile phones.
The family staged a protest outside the Crime Investigation Agency (CIA) Center in Saddar, accusing the police of causing Irfan’s death.
Read: Another citizen dies from police torture
According to Saddar police station SHO Chaudhry Zahid, the police were alerted by the Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Center (JPMC) about an unidentified body being brought in. When Zahid’s team reached JPMC, they found SIU personnel present at the spot as well as a judge. The victim’s family had not contacted the police at that time and SIU Saddar was on the case, Zahid said.
Meanwhile, Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Amjad Sheikh said further investigation is underway.
Not a first
There have been numerous complaints of in-custody deaths at the hands of SIU police, who have also been accused of abducting civilians and releasing them after collecting ransom.
Last year, the SIU was accused of torturing a citizen to death in custody, leaving his body near his house and fleeing. An FIR was lodged against an unidentified police party at Manghopir police station in this regard.
The CIA told YOU that Express Pakinomist that the SIU officials involved in this case were arrested.
According to police sources, the SIU party illegally arrested a citizen named Qayamuddin in Manghopir area on 12 January 2024. The man was handcuffed while SIU officials searched his brother Nizammuddin’s house in Altaf Nagar.
Later, the SIU team released Qayyamuddin and warned him not to inform anyone about his detention and subsequent raid.
SIU officials then took off with Nizam. His body was discovered near his house.
