Despite after lapse of 36 hours, New Anarkali Police have not been able to arrest a single nominated accused involved in torturing a constable’s son to death during course of investigation on Sunday. The medical board of Munshi Hospital also declared torture as the major cause of the deceased’s death. According to details, newly-married Tahir Naveed, son of on-duty constable Naveed Iqbal, died in custody of the Lower Mall Police.
New Anarkali Police on complaint of the deceased’s mother, Dilshad Bibi, registered a murder case against nine people including Misri Shah Station House Officer (SHO) Maqsood Gujjar, Lower Mall SHO Naveed Azam and their seven subordinates, who were also suspended from service by the deputy inspector general (DIG) Investigation.
On Monday, Lower Mall Police handed over the body to the family after autopsy, which was buried on Monday late night. The family of deceased told journalists that heavy contingents of police remained deputed at their house and the mortuary.
They claimed that according to doctors of the medical board, who conducted autopsy, the deceased was subjected to severe torture by police. Haji Arshad, brother-in-law of Tahir, talking to Pakistan Today, claimed that police used drilling machine to drill his hands and feet in order to get a confessional statement from him about his alleged involvement in killing of two police constables on Outfall Road in March.
He said that marks of blades were also found in excess on different parts of Tahir’s body while police handed over the deceased’s body after Maghrib prayer. A member of the medical board, seeking anonymity, confirmed that the deceased died of severe torture. He said that the policemen subjected the victim to severe torture and never bothered about Tahir’s condition.
Heirs of the deceased also questioned the investigators’ capabilities and said that they have not arrested even a single policemen involved in the murder. They claimed that the policemen were favoring their colleagues and trying to save their skin. A relative of the deceased told Pakistan Today that SHO Naveed Azam was sitting in the room of City Superintendent of Police (SP) Dr Shahzad when New Anarkali Police registered a murder case against him and eight others.
On being contacted, Investigation SP Ahmed Nawaz Cheema said that police have not arrested any policemen involved in the case because they were busy in assisting Tahir’s family in getting his body as soon as possible. He said that after funeral of Tahir, police will conduct raids to arrest the policemen involved in it. Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Investigation Abdul Razzaq said that he had directed the best investigators to investigate the case.
“I know that no arrest has been made so far but criminals would be taken up to task, as soon as possible”, the SSP added. He said that what had happened was not good but that was not the investigation wing’s responsibility. Cheema said that they have been working with the operations wing to minimise such mishaps.
