Please - Odhikar

oth and took them to the Boalia police station in a police van.
Next day, on July 28, 2005 after going to the police station Nazrul Islam came to know that
Abdur Rashid had filed a case against Sohel and Jewel. He found his brother-in-law unconscious
in the police station. Later they were shifted to ward No. 6 of the Rajshahi Medical College
Hospital. After becoming physically stable, they were taken to the police station but there they
fell ill again. At around 12 pm they were shifted to ward No. 6 of the Rajshahi Medical College
Hospital. Nazrul commented that due to physical torture by police, Jewel had lost his mental
stability.
Md. Masud, elder brother of Jewel and Sohel told Odhikar that police tortured his brothers on
July 27 after taking them to the police station. Quoting one of the victims Sohel, he added that
after taking them to the police station, police at first kept them in lock up. After 12 am, they took
Sohel to another room where SI Hafizur beat him with a rough wooden stick. After that they
took Jewel to another room and beat him severely. At around 3 pm, SI Hafizur tied the eyes of
Sohel and took him to a room where he was given electric shock to his fingers. SI allegedly said
"You behaved impolitely with the police and I will kill you both." Police also allegedly gave
electric shocks to Jewel. Masud added that the police was influenced by the false case filed by
Abdur Rashid and tortured his two brothers. Lying on a hospital bed, Jewel became scared
because of police threats to kill him in crossfire. Doctors informed Masud that Sohel's liver
function might have been damaged. On August 01, Sohel and Jewel were produced in court,
which, refusing bail for them, ordered them to be put in jail custody. On August 02, Jail
authorities were ordered to send Jewel to the Pabna Mental Hospital. "Before arrest, both of my
brothers had sound mental health", Masud added.
Neighbour of the victims, Sufia Begum, told Odhikar that on July 27, police came and started
beating them (Sohel and Jewel). They were taken to the Boalia Police Station and when they
were under treatment in Rajshahi Medical College Hospital she visited them and saw marks of
torture on them.
From the source at Rajshahi Medical College Hospital, Odhikar came to know that on 28 July
2005 at around 8 am, police brought Sohel and Jewel to hospital and took them back after they
had slightly recovered. On the same day, they were brought again at around 12 pm and got
admitted in ward # 13. On condition of anonymity, the hospital authorities informed Odhikar
that when the two brothers were brought in, they were severely sick and signs of torture were
found all over their bodies. They were released from hospital on 1 August 2005.
Officer-in-charge of Boalia police station, Aslam Iqbal, informed Odhikar that a person named
Abdur Rashid filed a case (Case No 38, dated 27/07/05, sections 386/323) against Sohel and
Jewel on 27 July 2005. Accordingly, a police force led by SI Hafizur Rahman went to arrest
them from their private dormitory, Nirala. He claimed that when informed about the case, Sohel
and Jewel started misbehaving with police. At one stage of the wrangle, they got involved in a
physical fight with police. Police then beat them with their brothers and arrested them. After
bringing them to the police station, both the brothers got sick and were admitted to hospital on
28 July. He categorically denied any allegation of torture of the two brothers by police. He
informed Odhikar that during the arrest, they had some physical tussle with police, which might
have been responsible for their subsequent illness. For assaulting police, they filed a case (case #
39, sections 332/333/353) against the two on 27 July 2005.
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Report 2005