A man died at Sylhet Osmani Medical College Hospital (SOMCH) on
Wednesday evening allegedly because of excessive torture in police
custody in Chhatak upazila of the district.
The victim was identified as Waris Ali, 45, son of late Abdur Rahim,
resident of Bashkhala village under Chhatak municipality.
Local sources said Ansar members of Chhatak Paper Mills caught Waris
red handed at the time of stealing fish from a pond of the mills in
the early hours of Tuesday.
After giving a severe beating, the Ansar members handed over him to
Chhatak Police Station labeling him a robber.
Later, police got injured Waris admitted to Chhatak Upazila Health
Complex first in critical condition at noon and then he was later
shifted to the Osmani Medical College Hospital as his condition
deteriorated, where he died at 7.00pm on Wednesday.
The victim’s brother Rahmat Ali said before death, Waris informed his
family members that police tortured him immensely.
Rahmat also claimed the Ansar members of the paper mills at first
tortured his brother and then handed him over to police where he was
tortured for another time.
“We are taking preparation to lodge a murder case against the alleged
people,” added Rahmat.
However, officer-in-charge (OC) Shahjalal Munshi of Chhatak Police
Station denied the allegation, saying Waris was a suspected accused of
a robbery incident at the house of one Foyzul Kabir at Ganokhai
village and the paper mill authorities also filed a theft case against
him.
Abdus Salam, security official of the paper mills, denying the
allegation, said Waris was injured after being hit with a wall while
he was fleeing from the confinement of Ansar members.
In that condition, he was handed over to police, added the security official.
(UNB, Sylhet)
