Karachi Police arrested two of the seven police officers who were booked after a “teenager” died under disputed circumstances in the custody of the Special Investigation Unit (SIU), while the victim’s family members staged a sit-in in Sohrab Goth on Saturday to demand justice.
The seven police officers were suspended a day ago after the incident came to light. While the police claimed that Muhammad Irfan died of a heart attack, his relatives claimed that he was tortured to death.
On the same day, a First Information Report (FIR) of the incident was registered at Saddar Police Station on the complaint of Mumtaz Ahmed, Station House Officer (SHO) of the SIU and Criminal Investigation Agency (CIA), under sections 34 (common intention) and 319 (involuntary manslaughter) of the Pakistan Penal Code against seven designated officers of the SIU/CIA.
“SIU/CIA police have handed over the custody of two suspects named in FIR… who have been arrested. If necessary, we will convert the case to 302 (premeditated murder) and arrest more SIU officials if they are found involved,” Deputy Inspector General of Police South Syed Asad Raza said while talking to Sunrise.
He confirmed that “the preliminary post-mortem report establishes torture.”
Meanwhile, a large number of relatives and community members staged a sit-in at an Edhi morgue in Sohrab Goth while carrying the coffin of the victim, whose body was kept in the mortuary, and blocked the main road.
Journalist Shahid Jatoi, one of the protesters, said Sunrise that people were demonstrating because “the case has been registered following a complaint from the murderers.” He said the police had promised the family members that the FIR would be registered in the family’s complaint.
“The family members visited the SIU/CIA center on Friday night to lodge the FIR, but the police had already registered the FIR on behalf of the state. They were informed that since the FIR had already been registered, a second case for the same offense could not be registered,” Jatoi said.
He added that since then, three other people, who were arrested along with Irfan, were released and acquitted of any crime, the family and those gathered believed that the four were “innocent” and they were tortured in custody, resulting in Irfan’s death. The protesters urged the Sindh chief minister and police chief to bring justice in the matter.
Karachi Traffic Police said in a statement that traffic on Edhi Center Sohrab Goth, towards Shafiq Mor, Rashid Minhas Main Road, was closed for traffic.
Traffic coming from Gulshan-i-Iqbal was diverted under Sohrab Goth Bridge towards Sharea Pakistan, while traffic coming from Water Pump was diverted towards Al-Asif Square.
FIR
The FIR said four persons were detained by the SIU police party from Lilly Bridge near Cantonment station in Frere police station limits on Wednesday. A day ago, the SIU had said Sunrise who were arrested by Ayesha Manzil in the FB area of the city.
The FIR added that they were arrested based on information provided by a special informant, a case was registered against the four on the same day and they were handed over to an assistant sub-inspector (ASI).
SHO Ahmed said he came to know through the case investigation office that two other ASI officers had continued questioning Irfan when his health suddenly deteriorated and he fell unconscious.
The SHO added that the IO took Irfan to the hospital without informing him. SHO Ahmed said the SIU staff had committed “negligence” during the arrest and custody of Irfan. He said it emerged that the registration of the case against the deceased was also “doubtful” and the entire matter raised suspicions.
