Lalmonirhat youth dies in police custody

GBNews24 Desk//

A police official was withdrawn from duty on Friday following the death of a local trader in police custody at Lalmonirhat district town.

The action was taken against sub-inspector Halimur Rahman Halim of Lalmonirhat Sadar Police Station.

He was attached to the police line, said Shah Alam, officer-in-charge (OC) of Lalmonirhat Sadar Police Station.

Earlier, Rabiul Islam Khan, a trader in Lalmonirhat, died in police custody on Thursday night, family said.

The 25-year-old Rabiul was the eldest son of Dulal Khan, of village Kazir Chaowra in Harati union. He was the eldest among his four brothers and three sisters. He used to look after his father’s furniture business at a local market.

Receiving information that gambling was going on at Boishakhi Mela in village Hiramanik, a team of Lalmonirhat Sadar police led by SI Halim conducted a raid. The police arrested Rabiul and another person on charge of gambling.

“He (Rabiul) was badly beaten up by police in the custody for refusing to enter the police van. He had sustained injuries, which eventually led to his death,” said a family member of Rabiul.

Additional Superintendent of Lalmonirhat Police Rabiul Islam, however, denied the allegation of custodial torture.

“Police arrested Rabiul and another person after chasing them. But Rabiul fell sick on the way to the local police station and he was rushed to Lalmonirhat Sadar Hospital. He succumbed there at about 11.30pm,” he claimed.

When contacted, OC Shah Alam said, “We are waiting for the autopsy report of the deceased.”