The body of Rayhan Ahmed, the young man who was allegedly tortured to death in the custody of Sylhet police, has been reburied after it was exhumed for re-autopsy.
Following the exhumation, the body was taken to MAG Osmani Medical College morgue for re-autopsy at around 11am on Thursday.
Following the formation of a three-member medical board, Rayhan’s body was autopsied for the second time and reburied at around 3pm.
Rayhan's body was exhumed from the Akhalia Nawabi Mosque cemetery in the presence of Sylhet district administration executive magistrates Sajeeb Ahmed and Mezbah Uddin Ahmed at around 9am.
Officials of the Police Bureau of Investigation (PBI) team, which is investigating the case, and some morgue assistants of Osmani Medical College were also present on the scene.
PBI Sylhet Superintendent of Police Khaleduzzaman said: “If a case is filed in connection with a death in custody, there is a provision to conduct autopsy in the presence of an executive magistrate.
“However, an autopsy was conducted without the presence of a magistrate and Rayhan was buried. For this reason, the former investigating officer of the case, Abdul Baten, sub-inspector (SI) of Kotwali police station, filed an application for exhuming the body from the grave for re-investigation.
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“Sylhet Deputy Commissioner and District Magistrate M Kazi Emdadul Islam granted permission to exhume Rayhan’s body upon his request.”
The police official added: “We are continuing to investigate the case. The individuals whose names are found in the investigation will be brought under the law.”
Rayhan’s death in police custody
On Sunday, 34-year-old Rayhan Ahmed died in police custody following torture, his family has alleged. However, police denied the allegation and said Rayhan had been caught by some locals while mugging and was lynched.
Police said they found the man wounded in the mob beating and took him to a hospital, where he died.
The victim's mother said Rayhan had called her from an unknown number at 4:23am and said that police had taken him to Bandarbazar police outpost and were demanding Tk10,000 for his release.
Rayhan's uncle rushed to free him with Tk5,000, but police refused to accept the money. He was told to come back in the morning after arranging the full amount.
Rayhan's uncle went to Bandarbazar police outpost at 9am and was told by the police that Rayhan had fallen ill and had been taken to a hospital at 7am.
Rushing to the hospital, he came to know that Rayhan was already dead and his body had been sent for an autopsy.
Rayhan's uncle said: "Rayhan died due to police torture; his body had several wound marks."
On Tuesday, a writ was filed with the High Court seeking an independent and impartial probe into the death of Rayhan.
Supreme Court lawyer Advocate Syed Fazle Elahi filed the writ petition, seeking reasonable compensation for the victim's family. The court fixed Wednesday for a hearing on the plea.
