Judicial inquiry ordered into death of youth in SIU custody

Sindh Home Minister Ziaul Hasan Lanjar has ordered a judicial inquiry into the alleged custodial killing of a young man, Irfan, who allegedly died under torture in the custody of the Special Investigation Unit (SIU) police in Karachi.

According to a spokesperson for the home minister, Lanjar directed the Sindh home secretary to initiate a full judicial probe into the incident and ensure that a comprehensive forensic and criminal investigation was conducted.

“Those found involved will be dealt with strictly according to the law,” the home minister said, adding that modern forensic techniques would be employed to bring the case to its logical conclusion.

“It is deeply regrettable that a young man lost his life while in police custody,” he said. Meanwhile, in a major development, the authorities decided to transfer the investigation of the case to the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) to ensure transparency and fairness.

According to SIU officials, the entire case record, including details of the suspects, would be handed over to the FIA on Monday. “The FIA will formally begin its investigation on Monday,” said an official.

The case sparked public outcry and protests after Irfan’s family alleged that he was subjected to severe torture during custody. The youth was reportedly taken into custody by SIU officials on Wednesday, and by Thursday evening, at around 7pm, his family was informed about his death.

This led to a large protest outside the Edhi morgue, where the family placed his body on the main Shah Waliullah Road, demanding that a murder case be registered against SIU personnel.

Traffic remained suspended for nearly an hour until police intervened and persuaded the protesters to disperse. Irfan’s family continues to demand criminal action against the responsible officers claiming that the deceased youth was innocent and died as a result of custodial torture.