Our Staff reporter
RAHIM YAR KHAN
The family a 50-year-old man, who was allegedly tortured to death in police custody, along with a large number of villagers staged a protest, demanding stern action against the police officials here in front of Town Hall on Tuesday.
On the occasion, son-in-law of the deceased Muhammad Farooq told the media that Abbasi was going from Peer Shaheedan to his house at Dara Ghareeb Shah due to pain in his foot on Monday. Suddenly a police mobile van and two motorcycles arrived there and the policemen took Abbasi with them.
Later, when he (Farooq) along with his relatives started searching for Abbasi, they came to know that he was in the custody of Saddr Police. Farooq alleged that when he reached the police station, ASI Ismail Ghalaija demanded Rs5,000 bribe for the release of Abbasi. He claimed that when he offered the ASI Rs3,000 Ismail refused to release Abbasi, asking him to arrange Rs2,000 more for the moharar. Farooq sent his relatives to arrange more money for the release of Abbasi.
Meanwhile, policemen took Farooq to a room where “according to the police” Abbasi was laid fainted in bad condition. Farooq claimed that when he requested the police to release him, the policemen said that Abbasi was not fainted he was playing drama and again started beating him. He said that due to critical condition after police torture Abbasi died in police station.
Police called Rescue 1122 team who declared Abbasi as dead and shifted the dead body to Sheikh Zayed Medical College Hospital.  Farooq informed that in the evening heirs of deceased Abbasi gave the dead body to SZMCH for post-mortem but doctors did not give the report and asked the heirs to receive the autopsy report on Wednesday.
He informed that after their severe protest, the police registered an FIR against the accused policemen.
On the occasion, City Council Chairman Saifullah Khan Niazi and representative of National Saraiki Party Shahid Kanjoo assured the bereaved family of their support for getting justice.