'Beaten to death' in custody

A suspected drug peddler was allegedly beaten to death by police in Phultala area of Moulvibazar's Juri upazila Saturday night.

The dead is Zahid Miah, 40, of the upazila's Kunagaon village.

Police picked up Zahid around 7:00pm from a local market and took him to his nearby rented flat. The law enforcers beat him up there, alleged Jahangir Alam, Zahid's brother.

After two hours of detention, police took him to Kulaura Upazila Health Complex where doctors declared him dead, Jahangir added.

However, Officer-in-Charge of Juri Police Station Zahangir Hossain Sardar denied the allegation and said they detained Zahid from the market on information that he hid drugs in his house.

“After taking him to his flat, Zahid suddenly fell sick. Later, when taken to the health complex, doctors declared him dead. He may have died of heart attack due to excessive drug addiction,” the OC said.

He further said that Zahid previously had multiple drug related cases against him.

Six pieces of yaba tablets, four bottles of Phensedyl and two bottles of wine were seized from Zahid's house, he claimed.

Zahid's autopsy was conducted in Kulaura Upazila Health Complex.