Deputy Inspector General of Police Multan has suspended the services of SHO Police Station Burewala (Vehari District) and ordered him to report to Police line on the charge of custodial death of an accused of mobile phone theft. "We have ordered an inquiry into the torturing an accused to death and responsible police officials would not escape from punishment," said DPO Vehari Mukhtar Tikka while appeasing the violent mob of protestors.
SHO, Abdul Latif Kanju said that Qasim Bhatti (24) was in police custody on the charge of snatching a mobile phone and cash at pistol point from the brother-in-law of Tehsil Naib Nazim Rana Muhammad Muzaffar Khan. He took pills in the lock-up when his condition deteriorated he was taken to hospital but he could not survive. He categorically denied the rumours of torture.
"We have taken action against SHO Latif Kanju for keeping Qasim Bhatti in unlawful detention without showing his arrest on record and stealing the daily-diary (Roznamcha) and concealing the FIR got registered by Naib Nazim Rana Muzaffar Khan," ASP Burewala Sarfraz Ahmed Falki told newsmen.
Muhammad Afzaal Bhatti father of the deceased alleged that SHO Abdul Latif Kanju, ASIs Muhammad Bakhsh, Abdul Sattar Gujjar and Shamoon Ahmed tortured his son for admit the crime what he did not commit. He claimed that his son was innocent and he was involved in theft case on political ground to take revenge of election rivalry.
He said that a number of scars of torture were found on the body of his son He was kept in unlawful detention for seven days but not a single thing was recovered from him.