8 DB men withdrawn over torturing journo

Eight members of Detective Branch (DB) of police have been withdrawn to the district police lines over torturing a cameraperson of a private television channel in the city, reports UNB.

Deputy commissioner (South) of Barisal metropolitan police Golam Rauf said they also formed a probe committee to look into the incident.

“Departmental action will be taken against those involved in the incident following the probe report,” he said.

On Tuesday, a DB team, led by sub-inspector Abul Bashar, raided a house near old ‘Beauty Hall’ at South Chawkbazar in the city.

The detectives engaged in an alteration with DBC News cameraperson Sumon Hasan who was present during the raid as he wanted to talk to them over the raid, said witnesses.

At one stage, the DB team swooped on the journalist and beat him mercilessly. They also hit in the testicles which made him unconscious.

The detectives then took Sumon to their office and tortured him inhumanly again there.

They also assaulted some senior journalists when they went to the DB office on information.

Later, the senior journalists informed the matter to BMP deputy commissioner Golam Rauf who regretted the incident and ordered actions against the eight DB men.

Sumon alleged that the DB team swooped on him as he wanted to know about the drive. “They got furious when I introduce myself as a journalist,” he said, adding that they also threatened to implicate him in a drug case and kill him in crossfire.

BMP assistant commissioner (DB) Nasir Uddin said SI Abul Bashar and seven members of his team, including two assistant sub-inspectors, were closed as the torture of the journalist was primarily proved.

Meanwhile, Barisal Press Club, Barisal Reporters Unity and other journalist associations condemned the torture.