Police chief AKM Shahidul Hoque has said that no one including the police members are above the law.
“The same law is applicable for the people and the police members. There is no scope of mercy only because they are members of the police force,” the inspector general of police told reporters after a programme in Sylhet city yesterday.
“If any police member commits a crime, it is his/her responsibility not the department’s. We will show zero tolerance towards the member and will do whatever necessary. If needed, departmental case will be lodged against the member,” he warned.
In case of a serious crime, the authorities would file a criminal case against the accused. Refuting the allegation that the accused police members are not given exemplary punishment, Shahidul said: “It is not true. We are ready to provide you with information on any crime committed by a police member.”
The police chief made the remarks in the wake of some recent incidents of police assaults. In the latest incident, a tea-seller was killed after he received 90% burns during torture by some police members and two informants of Shah Ali police station of the capital. Two probe bodies are investigating the matter.
Meanwhile, Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal yesterday said that they had already withdrawn the OC of Shah Ali police.
“We will bring to book the persons responsible for the incident. But it is not right to blame the entire police force for the offences committed by one or two members,” he told reporters after a meeting in the capital.