Barguna custodial death: OC withdrawn

Officer-in-charge (OC) of Amtali Police Station has been withdrawn following the death of a 55-year-old man at the police station in Barguna yesterday.

The OC Abul Basar was withdrawn and attached to Barguna Policelines in an order signed by supenintendent of police in the district this evening, our Patuakhlai correspondent reports quoting Tofayel Ahmed, addition superintendent of police.

Hanging body of Shanu Hawlader (55), a farmer, was found at the police station yesterday morning, three days after he was arrested.

Yesterday afternoon, two police officers -- Inspector Manoranjan Mistry and Assistant Sub Inspector Arif Hossain -- were suspended following allegations that they tortured the man to death.

The officers also allegedly hung the man's body from the ceiling to make it appear that he died by suicide.

ASP Tofayel of Barguna police is leading a three members probe committee to investigated in the the murder.

Shanu Hawlader's wife Jharana Begum and son Shakib Hossain alleged that police demanded Tk 3 lakh in return for releasing him.

As they could not arrange the money on such short notice, Officer-in-charge Abul Bashar and Manoranjan Mistry tortured Shanu to death, they added.

Shakib said he offered Tk 10,000 to the OC on Tuesday, but the officer refused to take the money and asked for the full amount.

"They tortured my father because we couldn't pay the money... When I wanted to see him, the OC told me to bring the money first," he said.

OC Abul Bashar told The Daily Star that the allegations were false. The suspended officers refused to make comments.