A young man has died after being found unconscious with an apparent electric shock injury during a police raid in Karachi’s Malir City area, prompting his family to accuse officers of killing him in custody.
The family of Irshad, a resident of Malir City, alleged that police raided their home, detained him and took him to the police station, where he was subjected to violence and allegedly given an electric shock. They said Irshad was a student and was continuing his studies.
The allegations led to a protest outside the Karachi Press Club on Sunday afternoon, with the family calling for action against those responsible.
Malir Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Abdul Khaliq Sheikh rejected the family’s account, stressing that police had gone to Lasi Goth to arrest a suspected drug dealer named Arshad.
According to Sheikh, the suspect was arrested during the raid, while Irshad ran away after seeing the police.
Police officers were later told by local residents that a man had collapsed in another street, he said.
The officers reached the location, found the man and took him to Jinnah Hospital, where doctors examined him and said he had died before reaching the hospital, according to the senior police officer.
Sheikh said the man had a mark on his hand consistent with an electric shock and that police were informed that the death had resulted from electrocution.
Sheikh said an inquiry had been ordered into the incident, with Malir Superintendent of Police (SP) appointed as the inquiry officer.
He said the investigation would determine whether any police official was responsible and that action would be taken against anyone found culpable.
