Rayhan’s family demands judicial probe; 111 injury marks found in autopsy

Family members of Rayhan Ahmed -- who died after being taken into police custody in Sylhet on October 11 -- yesterday demanded judicial probe into the incident, while a second post-mortem of the body reportedly found 111 injuries inflicted hours before his death.

Rayhan's mother Salma Begum placed a five-point demand in a press conference in the city where other family members, concerned citizens from all walks of life were present.

The demands are: formation of a judicial probe committee to investigate the matter, arrest of all involved police personnel, IGP's direct order to arrest prime suspect SI Akber  Hossain Bhuiyan, Sylhet Metropolitan Police Commissioner's statement on the matter, and compensation from the prime minister.

Rayhan's mother also stated that if the suspected policemen are not arrested by 72 hours, they will call in strike and protests, reports our Sylhet correspondent.

111 INJURY MARKS ON HIS BODY: AUTOPSY REPORT

Meanwhile, a second autopsy conducted on Rayhan found 111 injury marks, according to a report submitted to Police Bureau of Investigation (PBI) on Saturday, reports UNB.

His stomach was empty, he had severe internal bleeding because of excessive physical torture, and two of his nails were pulled off, according to the report.

Rayhan was tortured between two and four hours before his death. About two litres of blood was found underneath his skin, said Dr Mohammad Shamsul Islam, head of forensic department at Sylhet MAG Osmani Medical College.

Shamsul Alam was also made head of a three-member medical board to carry out a second autopsy after exhuming Rayhan's body on Thursday, after a case was filed in this regard under the The Torture and Custodial Death (Prevention) Act by Rayhan's wife Tahmina Akther Tanni against several unknown people with Kotwali Police Station.

The district administration allowed the exhumation following an appeal by Kotwali police SI Abdul Baten, the case's investigation officer.

The autopsy report was handed over to PBI on Saturday night.

Surveillance cameras at Bandarbazar police outpost show Rayhan being brought in around 3:09am on October 10 in normal condition. He was seen being taken to Osmani Medical College Hospital at 6:24am and he died around 7:50am on October 11.

"His organs were damaged due to hypovolemic shock and neurogenic shock," said Dr Shamsul, adding, "The actual reason will be known after getting a viscera report."

PBI is currently investigating the case at the instructions of the Police Headquarters. Sylhet Metropolitan Police has handed over the case documents to PBI.

Rayhan (33), a resident of the city's Neharipara area, died at Sylhet MAG Osmani Medical College Hospital at 7:50am on October 11, around an hour after he was admitted there by police.

After allegations arose of torture on him inside the Bandarbazar police outpost, an internal probe body of police was formed, which initially found involvement of the outpost's police personnel.

Four police personnel, including the outpost in-charge, were suspended and three others were withdrawn from the outpost.

But the prime suspect, Bandarbazar police outpost's in-charge SI Akber is still on the run.

PBI on Thursday circulated warnings to all immigration posts not to let him go out of the country.