Cops telling lies

Finds The Daily Star investigation into 2 custodial deaths
Although the police is denying the custodial deaths of Mizanur Rahman and Mujibur Hossain, The Daily Star investigation has found that the fact is quite the opposite to that of the police version of the incidents.
Police picked up businessman Mizanur Rahman from his Badda house early Tuesday while Mujibur Hossain from his house at Melartek Ghat in Darussalam early Thursday, the investigation revealed.
According to Gulshan police, Mizanur and his five accomplices opened fire on a police team on road 42 of Gulshan early Thursday compelling the law enforcers to retaliate.
After the gunfight, Mizanur and one Manik were found bullet-hit and they were rushed to Dhaka Medical College Hospital where Mizanur succumbed to his injuries, they added.
Darussalam police denied Mujibur’s arrest on the first place let alone killing.
Abdul Malek, officer-in-charge of Darussalam Police Station, however, identified Mujibur as a local drug peddler and said that Mujibur’s rivals killed him over a feud.
MIZANUR’S STORY
Mizanur’s 10-year-old daughter Liza said, “A thrashing sound on the door woke me up. Afraid, I took shelter on my father’s lap and he forbid me to make any sound. A few minutes later police broke open the door, threw me onto the ground and dragged my father out.”
Strong marks of hitting the door with bricks and broken doorframe still evident at Mizanur’s house.
Mohammad Tazul Islam, 35, son of Mizanur’s house owner, said he was there when police broke inside the house and drag him away.
He said Sub-Inspector Anis of Gulshan Police Station who led the raid gave him Tk 500 to repair the door.
Kalam, a resident on the ground floor of the two-storey building, said when he came out hearing noise around 3:30am he found police personnel waiting in a white microbus in front of the building.
Police forced him to take them to the house owner and he took them to Tazul who lives in a near by building, Kalam added.
According to the neighbours, who knew Mizanur for over 20 years, they never saw Mizanur involved in any unlawful activities.
Mizanur’s elder sister Taslima alleged that she and Mizanur’s wife, who is also called Taslima, borrowed Tk 8,000 from the house owner’s wife to manage Tk 10,000 which SI Anisur demanded for not implicating Mizanur in any case and his safe bail out from court.
Taslima, the wife, claimed that the SI earlier demanded Tk 1 lakh, which finally came down to Tk 10,000.
Taslima, the sister, said they received a phone call around 4:00am on Wednesday that informed that Mizanur was in a critical condition at the hospital and urgently needed blood.
When they reached the hospital they found him groaning and within a few minutes he breathed his last.
Meanwhile, Manik, who according to police was found bullet-hit with Mizanur and brought to the hospital, said SI Anis from the lock-up took them to an unknown place blindfolded around 1:00am. They were shot and brought to the hospital from there.
MUJIBUR’S STORY
Iqbal Hossain, minor son of deceased Mujibur, told The Daily Star that when he with his father reached Melartek Ghat, six policemen intercepted them and put handcuff on his father’s hand and tied his neck with rope.
The police beat him up mercilessly and drag him to a boat, on which they took off, added Iqbal.
Mujibur’s brother Zakir Hossain said Iqbal can identify the police personnel as the officers used to come to their house for bribe.
Mohammad Ibrahim alias Yunus secretary, father of Mujibur Rahman, said he went to Darusalam police station on Friday to lodge complaint against Sub-inspector (SI) Masudur Rahman, ASI Sayeed and ASI Hekmat Ullah but police instead recorded the case against three police informers–Mohibul, Nayan and Kajal. He said police refused to incorporate the names of the policemen as accused saying that there was no evidence against the police personnel. OC of Darussalam Police Station told The Daily Star yesterday that he was not present in the police station when the case was filed but he came to know about it on his return. He said Yunus’ allegation against the police personnel was not true.
However, police have arrested two of the three accused in the case and sent them to court seeking a five-day remand for each.
Mujibur’s wife Shamsunnahar alleged that police killed her husband as he failed to pay the money police demanded from him as bribe.
Yunus secretary said, three days before the death, ASI Moshiur came to his son and demanded Tk 50,000 saying that all his problems will be solved. “Your son will be able to move freely. But if you don’t pay the amount your son will not see his parents faces any more,” added Yunus.
He said police caught Mujibur thrice in the last one month but did not take him to the police station. They released him after taking a total of Tk 24,000 in three instalments.
Mujibur used to take care of their family transport business.
Family members of both Mizanur and Mujibur did not receive the bodies from Dhaka Medical College morgue till yesterday in protest of the police action.
Deputy commissioner (DC) of Mirpur Division Selim Mohammad Jahangir said, a three-member investigation committee headed by Joint Secretary (crime) of the home ministry Humayun Kabir has been formed yesterday.
Chief Executive of Bangladesh Human Rights Foundation Elina Khan said, “Under no circumstance we accept deaths in police custody. In such killing case police investigation is not acceptable, a judicial probe is required to ensure justice to the families of the victims. National Human Rights Commission may look into the matter and inform the people about it.”

Courtesy of The Daily Star