Police have allegedly set condition in handing over the body of Sumon Sheikh, 25, to the family who died in police custody on Saturday. Jannat Akhter, wife of Sumon, told Prothom Alo this on Sunday afternoon.
She alleged they went to the morgue of Shaheed Suhrawardy Medical College Hospital in the city today, Sunday, to receive Sumon’s body. But the police didn’t hand it over to them citing the condition.
Jannat Akhter told Prothom Alo that “We went to the morgue to receive the body. But the police didn’t give it to us. They said if the body is taken to his hometown, Nawabganj, then it will be handed over. But if it is taken to the present address at Rampura in Dhaka, they won’t release it.”
She lamented, “My husband has died in such a way. But we are not even getting his body.”
Hatirjheel police station inspector (Operation) Mezbah Uddin said, “I am not allowed to talk in this regard. But the body is supposed to be handed over if the legal guardian is found.”
Jannat Akhter said they will lodge a case against the police responsible. They have already approached Dhaka Court. However, the lawyer they talked to is not receiving the phone now.
Sumon Sheikh, 25, died in police custody at the Hatirjheel police station in Dhaka. Police claimed the youth committed suicide. However, his family said that police beaten him to death. Angered by the incident, Sumon’s relatives and local people staged a demonstration in front of the police station on Saturday.
Jannat Akhter, wife of Sumon Sheikh, said that Sumon had been working at a distribution centre of Pureit, a water purifier manufacturing company of Unilever. He would get Tk 12,000 per month as salary. On Friday, police detained Sumon from his office and beat him up.
“Police demanded Tk 500,000 from us after arresting my husband. They killed him as we could not pay the money. Allah will judge the people who orphaned my boy,” said Jannat Akhter to Prothom Alo in front of the Hatirjheel police station with her son Raqib, 6, beside her.
Family members said they went to the police station right after being informed about the arrest. Police told them that Sumon would be presented before the court the next day. On the next morning they went to the police station again, but nobody informed them about Sumon’s death.