Two policemen have been suspended over the death of Syed Mohammad Shahidullah, former Deputy Director of the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC), in police custody in Chattogram.
Chandgaon police station Assistant Sub-Inspectors (ASI) Md Yusuf Ali and ATM Sohel Rana were both suspended Thursday through an order signed by Additional Commissioner of CMP MA Masud, and attached to the Dampara police line.
Shahidullah, 64, died in the custody of Chandgaon police station officials in Chattogram city in the small hours of Wednesday.
Spina Rani Pramanik, additional deputy commissioner of Chattogram Metropolitan Police (Public Relations), said two assistant sub-inspectors of Chandgaon Police Station have been attached to the police lines for the purpose of investigation.
Meanwhile, the CMP formed a three-member committee to investigate whether there was any violation of the rules in the arrest of the former ACC officer. The committee consists of deputy commissioner of Police (Detective Branch-North) as convenor, additional deputy commissioner of Police (North) as member secretary and assistant commissioner of Police (city Special Branch) as member.
The committee also asked to submit the inquiry report within three days.
Earlier on Tuesday night, Chandgaon police brought Shahidullah to the police station from his home in One Kilometer area of Bahaddar Hat in Chattogram city.
Nafis Shahid, son of the victim Shahidullah, said: "Two assistant sub inspectors of Chandgaon police station brought my father to the police station from our home. Later, we came to know that my father was arrested in a case."
He alleged negligence on the part of police officials as the reason behind his father's death.
"My father is a heart patient. They did not even let us give him his heart medicine and inhaler. They closed the gate of the police station after taking him in. They misbehaved with my father. The police deliberately killed my father by not allowing him to take medicine,” he said.
According to the police, Shahidullah was arrested and taken to the police station following a warrant issued by a court on charges of threats and defamation.
When he was taken to the OC's room of Chandgaon police station, he fell sick. His younger brother, who was accompanying him, sprayed Shahidullah with the inhaler.
Later, police took him to the private Parkview Hospital where doctors declared him dead around 12:30 am.