‘Police tortured and killed my son’: Father claims: Chief accused in murder case dies in custody of PBI Bagerhat, cops claim victim was drug addicted and ill

The Daily Star  September 29, 2020
Star Online Report

An accused of a murder case was allegedly killed in the custody of Police Bureau of Investigation (PBI) at Bagerhat, his family has claimed.

PBI, however, said the accused, Raja Fakir (25), son of Babu Fakir of Bagerhat Sadar upazila, was addicted to drugs and physically ill.

The body of the deceased has been sent to the morgue of Bagerhat Sadar Hospital for autopsy.

Raja’s father and relatives rushed to the hospital on Monday (September 28) evening, after receiving the news of the death.

Babu Fakir said his son Raja was arrested by Bagerhat PBI Sub-inspector (SI) Abu Saeed from a relative’s house in Patuakhali on Sunday night (September 27), and brought to Bagerhat.

“I want justice for the torture of my son,” he added.

Bagerhat Civil Surgeon KM Humayun Kabir told The Daily Star today that Bagerhat PBI police members brought a young man named Raja Fakir to the hospital at 1:20pm on Monday.

The doctors on duty examined him and found that Raja was dead. The civil surgeon said that the cause of death would be known after the autopsy.

PBI Superintendent of police Sheikh Zahidul Islam said this morning that Raja was drug addicted and was the chief accused in a murder case.

“After his arrest, he fell ill and was rushed to the hospital, where he died,” Sheikh Zahidul claimed.

On the evening of October 18, 2019, a young man named Talim Mallick (18) was stabbed to death in the area of Khanjahan Ali Mazar in Bagerhat Sadar Upazila.

PBI members arrested Raja Fakir in the case filed in connection with the stabbing.