Owner of the truck involved in FIA blasts dies mysteriously

Owner of the truck involved in FIA blasts dies mysteriously:

From the page: LAHORE-The owner of a mini-truck that was used in the suicide attack on FIA Headquarters building on March 11 was mysteriously found dead in the Sabzazar police lock-up on Wednesday.

Muhammad Afzal was being considered as an important suspect who could have helped the investigators get a major breakthrough and find the culprits behind this gory incident.

He was was kept in Sabzazar police station for interrogation.

The DSP Sabzazar Ashiq Jutt told The Nation that the accused was in good health and was not tortured by the policemen. He said, Afzal was depressed and on Wednesday asked an on-duty policeman that he and his family are going through deep crisis after his arrest in this high profile case. He later asked the policeman to arrange a cup of tea for him.

The DSP further said that the cop informed the SHO about his demand of tea, which the SHO permitted.
However, when the policeman returned with a cup of tea, he found the accused Afzal lying unconscious in the police lock-up. Other policemen present outside his lock-up rushed inside but at that time it was too late as he had already died, he said.

The body has been sent to the morgue for autopsy, he added.

A police source said that the Muhammad Afzal died due to severe torture during interrogation while police high-ups have denied the allegation saying that he died under mysterious circumstances.
Police further said that the body has been sent to the City morgue for autopsy and his post-mortem report would establish the real cause of the death.

It is pertinent to mention here that the Muhammad Afzal was the only accused arrested by the police in this case.His death in police custody has exposed police acute negligence and carelessness which the provincial capital’s senior police officers showed while interrogating such a high-profile crime accused.

Afzal’s arrest was also being thought to be the only ray of hope for law enforcement agencies to extract important information. His death has also put up a question mark on police ability to handle such a high profile case.

After his death, it is being said that this has put the investigators in a dark alley.

A police source said that the victim Muhammad Afzal was arrested during investigations of the blast incident. The officials of the law enforcement agencies traced him through the registration documents of the mini-truck (used in the FIA blast) from Excise and Taxation Department and later arrested him. According to department’s official record, Muhammad Afzal was the owner of the truck.

When contacted the CCPO Lahore Additional IG Malik Muhammad, said that accused of the case, Muhammad Afzal was found dead in the police lock-up and to establish real cause of his death police was waiting for his post-mortem report.

About the report, he said that a board comprising senior doctors would conduct his post mortem on Thursday(today).

He said that three policemen have been suspended immediately. A case has been registered against the suspended policemen Muhammad Naeem (Muharrar), and two constables Amjad and Sadaqat, the CCPO said.
According to the police handout, Muhammad Afzal, a resident of Bilal Gunj, Lahore was arrested after the official record established him as the owner of the vehicle used in FIA building blast.

During investigations, police came to know that Afzal purchased the vehicle (ST 3985) from Toyota King Motors, Abbot Road but during interrogation he failed to produce evidence that to whom he has sold the said vehicle.

On Wednesday, during course of interrogation Afzal was found dead under mysterious circumstances, the handout further revealed.