Retired ACC official dies in police custody

A retired deputy director of the Anti-corruption Commission (ACC) has died in police custody in Chattogram. The incident took place at around 12:00 am Wednesday. However, the family claimed it a "murder".

The deceased retired ACC official was identified as SM Shahidullah, 67.

Speaking to Prothom Alo, SM Shahidullah’s son Nafiz Shahid said on Wednesday that two assistant sub-inspectors (ASI) in plainclothes from the Changao police station picked up his father from their house at around 11:30 pm on Tuesday.

Later, they learned that SM Shahidullah was arrested in a case filed over a clash with someone. Nafiz Shahid said his father had heart complications. They tried to give him medication at the police station. But the police didn’t allow that, he added.

He further claimed that not allowing medication to a heart patient is a sort of torture. This was a deliberate murder, he added. He also demanded exemplary punishment of those involved in this.

Changao police station officer-in-charge (OC) Shairul Islam refuted the allegations. “The retired ACC official was brought to my room after the arrest as he was a senior citizen. There, he suddenly fell ill.”

“Later, the family members provided him medicines. But the police and his family members rushed him to a nearby private hospital as his condition deteriorated. There the physicians on duty declared him dead,” the OC added.

OC Shairul Islam further said, “His (the deceased) post mortem will be conducted at the Chittagong Medical College Hospital in presence of a magistrate.”

Chattogram Metropolitan Police’s deputy commissioner (North) Mokhlesur Rahman told Prothom Alo that the physician said he died due to heart complications. “Despite that, we are investigating whether there was any fault or negligence on our part.”