2 men die in police custody in Nowshera and Charsadda

NOWSHERA/CHARSADDA: Two persons died in police custody in Nowshera and Charsadda on Monday.

The first incident was reported in Nowshera where an alleged drug peddler, who also happened to be addicted to Ice, allegedly committed suicide inside the Badrashi Police Station. District Police Officer Muhammad Azhar Khan said that one Usman Ali was arrested from Regi Mohallah by a police party headed by Sub-Inspector Jehangir Khan during a crackdown against narcotics peddling and drug addicts.

He said that the accused was brought to Badrashi Police Station and put up in the lock-up. The DPO said that Muharrar Astaghfirullah was lodging the report against the accused when he hanged himself to death with a muffler.

Soon after the incident, the DPO ordered judicial and departmental inquiries and suspended Station House Officer Nigah Hussain, SI Jehangir Khan and Muharrir Astaghfirullah and closed them to the Police Lines. He also constituted a committee headed by Superintendent of Police Investigation Alamzeb Khan to probe the incident from various angles to ascertain the exact cause of death of the accused.

The body was also shifted to the hospital for autopsy and later handed over to the relatives after medico-legal formalities.The second incident was reported in Charsadda where an arrested man allegedly committed a suicide at the Shabqadar Police Station. According to the police, the man shot himself fatally. The police said Shehzad, a man hailing from Peshawar, was brought to the police station for interrogation.

It stated that the accused attempted to snatch a pistol placed on a table. In the struggle, the pistol went off, causing severe injuries to his abdomen.Shehzad was taken to the Tehsil Headquarters Hospital, Shabqadar, where he succumbed to his injuries.On the other hand, the death of a man inside the police station raised questions, prompting demands by the residents for a transparent inquiry.