A sub-inspector of Pallabi police station was withdrawn and a probe committee was formed yesterday in connection with the alleged custodial death of a youth at the Irani camp in the capital.
Family members of Md Jony, 25, who died at Dhaka Medical College Hospital on February 9, claimed that Sub-Inspector Zahid Hossain had a personal feud with the deceased. They also alleged that Jony died because he was inhumanely tortured by police while he was in custody.
Agitated Irani camp residents had been protesting the death of Jony for the last two days.
Deputy Commissioner of Mirpur Division Imtiaz Ahmed told the Dhaka Tribune that SI Zahid was withdrawn as per the primary measures and a committee was formed to verify the allegations.
“Further measures will be taken according to the findings of the probe committee,” he added.
Md Shameem Ahmed, paternal uncle of the deceased, said Jony was SI Zahid’s driver, but left his job a year ago over an argument related to his salary. When Shameem went to the police station, he found Jony in a critical condition because of alleged beatings by SI Zahid.
However, police claimed that Johnny was an addict, and he succumbed to injuries that he had received in a clash with some other youths of the neighbouring Rahmat camp.
Jony and seven others were detained by a team of police led by SI Zahid in the early hours of January 9 from a bridal function.
Mohammad Ali, a brother-in-law of the deceased, told the Dhaka Tribune that there was no clash at the bridal function, but an argument was going on between Jony and a police informant. He claimed that police picked up the eight following the incident.
The autopsy report says the body bore injury marks at different places.
DC Imtiaz, meanwhile, said the people of Irani camp were angry with police as they had clamped down hard on the illegal drug business there.
When asked, the DC said he was not aware that Jony was once SI Zahid’s driver, and whether there was a personal feud between them.
