Rawalpindi-As many as 10 cops, including an officer, were booked under murder charges on Tuesday in connection with the alleged custodial torture and death of a man in Gujar Khan, sources said.
Station House Officer Police Station Gujar Khan Chaudhry Ilyas Gujar was also nominated in the case as abettor by the police, however; no arrest was made. The victim, who was tortured to death, has been identified as Ilyas Butt, resident of Mohra Mando.
According to FIR registered by PS Gujar Khan, the applicant Ghulam Abbas, from Jinnah Abadi Bangiyal, stated that a police party led by SI Hussain Shah raided his house at midnight and took him into custody. He added that the police party comprising 7 to 8 cops in civvies was also handcuffing another man Suhail Gondal of Jabbar Dartyal.
“SI Hussain Shah who introduced himself as SHO PS Gujar Khan asked me to pinpoint the hideout of my brother Ilyas, who was employed with Raja Shaukat at Mandra as tractor driver,” he mentioned. The applicant told he brought police party to mansion of Raja Shaukat which held Ilyas. He narrated that SI Hussain told him that Ilyas was wanted by police in a car sale case. Ghulam Abbas added that his brother was taken to Gujar Khan by SI Hussain and his team in a private car. He said that the family tried to know whereabouts of Ilyas but the SI told the family that Ilyas was arrested as senior officials had marked an application against him. He said that the family came to know about death of Ilyas through social media.
He mentioned that he rushed to the THQ where he found body of his brother with severe torture marks. He said that police had made all arrangements for burial of the body of his brother as unattended. The applicant alleged that the SI Hussain Shah along with his men kidnapped Ilyas Butt and kept him in illegal detention where he was tortured to death. He also alleged that SHO PS Gujar Khan was also responsible for the death of his brother. He requested the police to register a case against the accused and to arrest them.
Police registered Case under section 302/34 against SI Hussain Shah, SHO and 8 other unidentified men and began investigation. Ilyas Butt’s death triggered widespread criticism against Rawalpindi Police and its bosses on social media compelling the City Police Officer (CPO) Capt (R) Faisal Rana to take action. “Action will be taken against the responsible come what may,” said the CPO.
“No one has the right to keep any person in custody illegally or beat them to death. Such people will no longer be there in the police service,” he said. He said that a through inquiry would be held in the matter and a departmental punishment would be awarded to cops if they found guilty.
Earlier, a large number of area people and heirs of the deceased gathered outside PS Gujar Khan where they also staged protest against Police. PTI MPs Raja Javed Kausar and Chaudhry Sajid Gujar also visited police station where they held talks with SHO and the heirs. A source disclosed to The Nation that SI Hussain Shah picked up Ilyas from Mandra in connection with a robbery case and detained him in a private torture cell located in a street adjacent to a marriage hall.
Till the filing of this report, police were busy in investigating the death of the man with no arrest.