A 17-year-old boy died after a police operation in Lasi Goth, Karachi, with conflicting accounts surrounding his death.
The teenager, identified as Irshad, allegedly suffered an electric shock during the police operation in the area. His family, however, accused Malir City Police of subjecting him to torture after taking him into custody.
Police have rejected the allegation and maintained that Irshad died after becoming entangled in an electric wire.
The conflicting accounts have since triggered protests by the teenager’s family and local residents.
Family Alleges Teenager Died in Custody
According to Irshad’s family, Malir City Police raided a house in Lasi Goth before arresting the teenager.
The family alleged that police subjected him to torture while he remained in custody.
Irshad was an eighth-grade student, according to his family, who demanded justice following his death.
Afterward, family members and local residents gathered outside Jinnah Hospital and staged a protest.
The family later moved the teenager’s body to the Karachi Press Club, where another protest took place.
They demanded justice and called for an investigation into the circumstances surrounding his death.
Police Present Different Account
Malir City SHO Riaz Bhutto rejected the allegations of custodial torture and provided a different account.
According to SHO Bhutto, police had entered the area during an operation to arrest a suspected drug dealer.
The suspect was identified as Arshad, while Irshad lived in a neighbouring house, according to the police account.
Bhutto said Irshad became panicked when police arrived and started running away from the area.
The SHO said the teenager attempted to escape by jumping across the rooftops of nearby houses.
Police Say Electric Shock Caused Death
According to Bhutto, Irshad became entangled in an electric wire while attempting to escape across the rooftops.
He subsequently suffered an electric shock and became unconscious, according to the police account.
Bhutto said police took Irshad into custody after the incident and immediately transported him to Jinnah Hospital.
Doctors at the hospital confirmed his death after the teenager was brought there, the SHO said.
The police officer denied that torture caused the teenager’s death during custody.
Instead, he maintained that Irshad suffered fatal electrocution while attempting to escape during the police operation.
Conflicting Claims Trigger Protests
The differing accounts have intensified concerns among Irshad’s family and local residents about what happened during the operation.
The family continues to allege that the teenager died after being subjected to torture in police custody.
Police, however, continue to reject that allegation and maintain that electrocution caused his death.
The disagreement has prompted demands for an impartial investigation into the teenager’s death.
For now, the circumstances surrounding Irshad’s death remain disputed, with the family and police presenting sharply different accounts.
An impartial investigation would be required to establish what happened during the police operation and how the teenager sustained his fatal injuries.
