Guard dies in Ctg police custody

11 May 2010, 18:00 PM

Staff Correspondent, Ctg

A security guard of a market, an accused in a theft case, died in police custody in Chittagong yesterday. Md Manik Mia, 35, son of Jebul Hoque of Companyganj upazila in Noakhali, was a security guard of Anjuman Market in Reazuddin Bazar on Station Road in the port city. Yunus, a sub-inspector of Kotwali Police Station and the investigation officer of the case, said doctors declared Manik dead after he was rushed to Chittagong Medical College Hospital as he felt seriously ill around 7:15am. The SI, however, said Manik seemed quite normal when he was brought to police custody on Monday afternoon. The market owner, Md Alauddin Bittu, along with the shop owner took Manik to the Kotwali Police Station after IO called him to take Manik there for quizzing over the theft. The SI showed them a copy of the case filed by Md Arman on May 8 on charge of stealing 28 mobile phone sets and Tk 30,000 in cash from his shop on the ground floor of the market and took Manik to the police custody, he added. However, the IO said Manik remained absconding since the robbery and the shop owner along with others caught him on Monday afternoon and handed him over to police. Ruling out the allegation that Manik had been absconding since the theft, Bittu instantly protested the arrest and said he was an innocent man and a trusted security guard of the market for around 22 years. The market owner and the staffs of different shops of the adjoining markets, however, blamed the police and the shop owner for the killing. MA Jinnah, former joint secretary of Reazuddin Bazar Staffs Welfare Association, said Arman, who launched the shop without any signboard only a week ago, was allegedly involved in buying and selling theft mobile phone sets. “The security guard for several times had charged Arman with such illegal business and engaged in altercations,” Jinnah said, adding that Arman after being furious made the plot of the theft and with the help of his relative SI Yunus filed the case accusing Manik to punish him. After opening the shop on May 8, Arman informed the market owner about the theft blaming Manik for it. Deputy Commissioner Banaj Kumar Mazumder yesterday said the incident would be investigated and necessary action will be taken against police if found responsible for the death.