By Shamsul Islam Naz
FAISALABAD, Dec 14: Hundreds of residents of Chishtia Park, Dawoodnagar, Shalimar Park, Allama Iqbal Colony and Batala Colony attacked the Shalimar police post and attempted to set it fire after a custodial death here on Thursday.
The protesters carrying iron rods, wooden sticks and hockey were shouting slogans against the policemen involved in the death of one Ashraf alias Nanha, a resident of Dawoodnagar.
Ashraf was working along with his father, Rehmat, in a barber shop in Chishtia Park when he along with his brother-in-law, Bilal, was arrested last Tuesday (Dec 12) by Shalimar police post in charge ASI Zubair Wahla in a theft case.
During interrogation, the police officials reportedly severely tortured both the arrested persons and pressurized them to confess the crime. Due to torture, Ashraf became unconscious and expired early on Thursday without getting any medical aid.
The relatives of the deceased were summoned at the time of Sehri by police and Wahla told them that Ashraf had committed suicide due to depression.
Some of the relatives of the deceased reported the incident to the area’s people who started marching towards the police post.
The demonstrators encircled the police post and pelted stones on it. The policemen locked the main gate from inside. Some of the policemen also escaped from the scene.
A group of youngsters tried to set on fire the police post building but the elders of the area admonished them.
SP City Mian Maqbool Ahmad along with a heavy police contingent rushed to the spot and held negotiations with the protesters. He assured them that legal action would be taken against the policemen responsible for the custodial death of Ashraf.
The demonstrators warned that if the police officials involved in the incident were not arrested and a murder case was not registered against them, they would again stage a demonstration on Friday.
A police spokesman claimed that a police team was investigating the matter to trace out the “real” cause of Ashraf’s death in custody.
ASI Zubair Wahla reportedly informed his high-ups that Ashraf committed suicide due to depression as what he said he was caught red-handed by the people during a theft.
He also claimed that the people also gave Ashraf a sound thrashing.
The area’s people condemned the ASI’s statement and claimed that Ashraf was arrested from the barber shop by the ASI himself along with some other policemen.
Meanwhile, on the orders of district police chief a case under section 302 against Zubair Wahla and four constables has been registered.
