Cop indicts student after torturing in Jhalakathi

Md Imran Hossian Adnan, a resident of the upazila's Jogairhat area, is a second-year student of Boroia Degree College in Jhalakathi was the victim of the case. His brother Kamrul Hasan Murad raised the allegations against Munir-ul-Gias, officer-in-charge of Rajapur police station, at a press conference at the office of Jhalakathi Journalists' Association on Saturday. Murad read out a written statement alleging that on December 7 last year, the OC called him and Adnan, who was preparing to go abroad, and beat the latter up after confining him in the police station. “Adnan will get his life back if only he pays Tk5lakh, otherwise he will be put in a crossfire,” Murad quoted the OC as saying. “Gias stopped beating him only when his family gave him Tk2lakh when Adnan passed out during the beating, his brother alleged, adding that the OC had Adnan forcibly endorse a blank cheque to him. Rajapur police also sent him to a court the following day after indicting him in a theft case. Although on December 5, the police said no complaints were filed with the police station against Adnan, claimed Murad, adding: “He was indicted in a false case since we failed to provide the entire sum.” At the press conference, Murad demanded the OC be punished. When contacted, Gias denied claiming extortion money, and retorted: “We have found evidence that Adnan was involved in the theft.” However, he declined to elaborate on the nature of the theft.