In a case of vigilantism, policeman kills man in police custody

The slain suspect was arrested on the suspicion of committing blasphemy

SHOULD a suspect, who is already in police custody over suspicion of committing a crime, be killed for that crime much before a court decides whether or not he/she did in fact commit the offence in question? The answer to that straightforward question is an emphatic “No”. However, there is a scenario in our criminal justice system in which suspects are in danger of losing their lives right from the get-go.

The offence for which this is true is “blasphemy”. There have been several incidents in the past when people suspected of committing the offence were gunned down while in custody by policemen, who are supposed to uphold the law instead of taking it into their hands.

The latest such incident took place on Thursday in Quetta where a police officer shot dead a suspect who was put in the lock-up of a police station on the suspicion of committing blasphemy.

Daily ‘Dawn’ quoted Senior Superintendent of Police Muhammad Baloch as saying the police officer accused of killing the suspect had been arrested. The officer had accessed a police station where the man accused of blasphemy was being held, by pretending he was his relative before opening fire on him.

The suspect had been taken into custody earlier in the week and moved to a more heavily fortified station because an enraged mob had demanded of the police to hand over the suspect to them.

Protesters belonging to the Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP) and other religious parties blocked traffic on the Western Bypass in Quetta by placing burning tyres on the road and staged rallies in several parts of the city. They later hurled a hand grenade at the Kharotabad police station, demanding the custody of the blasphemy suspect. The grenade, however, exploded outside the police station.

“We have registered an FIR (first information report) against the blasphemy suspect and arrested him soon after receiving information about the incident,” a senior police officer said.

According to the complaint, a resident of Kharotabad used objectionable words against the Holy Prophet (peace be upon him). His alleged phone conversation went viral on social media, triggering sharp criticism and protests.

The police informed the protesters that an FIR had been registered against the suspect under Sections 295C and 34 of the penal code and investigation was underway. Officials of the district administration and senior police officers after negotiations with the TLP leaders later managed to disperse the crowd and the Western Bypass was reopened.

The TLP later staged rallies in other parts of Quetta and marched on different roads carrying placards and banners inscribed with their demands.

In June, a mob lynched a man — who had been detained for the alleged desecration of the Holy Quran — inside the Madyan police station in Swat. The mob then set fire to the suspect’s body, the police station, and a police vehicle. Eight people were injured in that incident.