Cops torture youth for bribe

Police allegedly tortured a youth at Birganj Police Station on Monday for refusing to pay bribe of Tk 80,000.

The victim, Aminul Islam, 34, son of Abdul Kader of Doulatpur village in the upazila, also plaintiff of a cow lifting case filed with the police station, came up with the allegation at a press conference at Dinajpur Press Club yesterday noon.

Three people--Rafiqul Islam, Mohammad Moyna and Khalilur Rahman of the village--were made accused in the case filed around three years ago.  

Aminul told the press conference that a police team, led by Officer in Charge (OC) of Birganj Police Station Shakila Parvin, raided his house around 2:00am on Monday and detained him for his alleged involvement with a recent motorcycle theft incident.

When he denied the allegation, OC Shakila slapped him twice on the face, Aminul alleged, adding that the on-duty policemen also assaulted his wife Siraja Munira.

They later picked up Aminul and took him to Birganj Police Station, he said, adding that on the way they asked him to admit his involvement in the motorbike lifting incident or pay Tk 80,000 bribe.

“As I declined to obey their order, Sub-Inspector Mohammad Touhid beat me up at least 30 times in presence of the OC,” Aminul said, adding that failing to get his confessional statement police released him next day after taking his signature on a blank paper.

OC Shakila said no such incident occurred at her police station.