Family refuses to receive body of man dead in police custody until murder case filed

The family of Sumon Sheikh, who died in police custody yesterday, today said they would not receive the body for burial until they could file a murder case in this regard.

"Filing of a murder case with a Dhaka court is underway… We hope we will be able to file the case today or tomorrow. Then, we will receive the body and bury him in Bhola," Sujan Sheikh, a brother-in-law of the deceased, told The Daily Star.

Sujan, his brother Mosharraf Sheikh, their sister and Sumon's wife Jannat Begum along with some other relatives are now at the Dhaka Court premises as of filing this report around 4:15pm.

Suman, a 25-year-old deliveryman, died at Hatirjheel Police Station early yesterday, hours after his arrest. Police said he died by suicide.

However, his family members alleged police tortured him to death. They also alleged that police demanded bribe.

Talking to The Daily Star, Sujan today said they would file the case against some police personnel and a staffer of the private company where Sumon worked.

"It is obvious that police were negligent. How can a man in police custody die by suicide?" – asked a relative of the deceased.

The family members also said police told them not to take the body to Rampura, saying this may cause new protests, and asked them to take the body to their village home for burial.

The death in police custody sparked protests in front of the police station yesterday and police had to resort to truncheon charge to disperse the agitating crowd.

Sumon was arrested from his East Rampura home around 4:30pm on Friday in a case filed for theft. He left behind his wife and six-year-old son.

A three-member probe body led by Tejgaon Industrial Zone Additional Deputy Commissioner Hafiz Al Faruk was formed and given seven days to probe the incident.