Mind-boggling police outrage

THE horrifying narrative of a Mirpur police sub-inspector (SI) torturing a garment waste (jhut) trader to death has outraged the public. As reported, the police after raiding the victim's house perpetrated the extreme brutality in full view of his family members, including his five-year-old son. The child's entreaties to spare his father's life fell on deaf ears. The police went on with their ruthless treatment of Sujon from the house on their way to the police station and then in custody, until he breathed his last. Evidently, this is an abominable case of excesses committed by the police.
The sickening incident leaves one wondering if it was lawmen dealing with a citizen suspected of defaulting on law, or some thugs torturing a defenseless citizen.  So far as the report goes, the victim was not a law-breaker. But even if he was one, does law permit the police to behave with a citizen in such diabolical manner? This is unabashed abuse of power by the police and a highly condemnable act.
The barbaric incident is also not a simple case of power abuse by the police, but one of serious violation of law as well as human rights by lawmen.  When the police's job is to provide the constitutionally granted security to the citizens, what we have witnessed here is quite the reverse. This presents a very scary prospect before the people--erosion in the state's capacity to protect its citizens.
There is no room for taking the Mirpur police brutality and murder lightly. The government must institute an independent probe into the matter and ensure that responsible for the tragedy get exemplary punishment.