<i>Police to probe police brutality!</i>

Justice in question as victim groans in pain at hospital

12 September 2009, 17:00 PM

Our Correspondent, Magura

Victim of barbaric torture by police on Friday, Tayebur Rahman is undergoing treatment at Magura Sadar Hospital.Photo: STAR

A one-member probe committee comprising Magura Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Mihir Kumar Das has been formed to investigate Friday's brutal police act on retired army man Tayebur Rahman. With serious injuries caused by merciless beating and uprooting of nails of two toes by the policemen led by Babukhali police camp in-charge assistant sub-inspector (ASI) Lutfur Rahman, the victim is groaning in pain at Magura Sadar Hospital. Authorities yesterday suspended ASI Lutfur on charge of torturing Tayebur, a resident of Babukhali village in Mohammadpur upazila under Magura district. Earlier on Friday, ASP Mihir Kumer Das said that primary investigation found the ASI guilty of the brutal torture on the retired army man. Terming the incident 'unfortunate', Magura Superintendent of Police (SP) Mohammad Shahrier said ASI Lutfur had already been suspended and the one-member committee comprising an ASP is investigating the incident. At around 8:00am on Friday, ASI Lutfur Rahman went to a house adjacent to the camp uncalled-for and interfered in a quarrel between house owner Tayebur Rahman, a retired army person, and his wife, locals said. As Tayebur protested Lutfur's unwanted interference, the ASI got furious and returned to the camp after threatening him of dire consequences. After a while, Lutfur accompanied by a few constables went to Tayebur's house again and forcibly brought him to the camp. They beat him mercilessly and uprooted nails of his two toes with forceps, leaving him critically injured. As the news spread, aggrieved people of Babukhali village laid siege to the police camp and demanded Tayebur's release. They withdrew the siege at around 11:00am after Magura ASP Mihir Kumar Das went to Babukhali police camp and assured proper action against the responsible police officer. The ASP arranged sending Tayebur to Magura Sadar Hospital for treatment. However, locals observe justice and neutrality is called into question as probe into the police brutality is being done by his community member.