Suspected drug trader dies in police custody

An accused in a drug case died while being in custody of Uttara-East Police Station early yesterday.

The dead, Liton, 40, was on a two-day remand in a case filed by RAB under the Narcotics Control Act.

Saiful Islam, deputy commissioner of Uttara Division Police, said that Liton was a drug addict and hanged himself while in lock-up.

"There is CCTV in the lock-up. We formed a three-member committee, led by an additional deputy commissioner, to investigate the incident."

An executive magistrate will prepare an inquest on the body, he said.

The body was sent to Tongi's Shaheed Ahsan Ullah Master General Hospital. A medical officer said the man was already dead when brought in.

Liton, from Bogura's Kahalu upazila, was accused in at least four cases, police said.

Ambar Hossain, officer-in-charge of Kahalu Police Station, said two of those cases was filed with his station.

His son Wahedul Islam said Liton was a truck driver living in Narayanganj for the last couple of months. The owner of the truck informed his family about the arrest a couple of days ago.

"Two days ago, a man claiming to be a lawyer called us and said my father would not be placed on remand if we pay Tk 6,000. We didn't have that kind of money and couldn't pay him.

"Police from Uttara East called us in the morning and said my father was ill and we had to rush to Dhaka in a microbus. The police personnel [speaking to us] said they would pay the fare once we reached there. He did not inform us about his [Liton's] death."

The family was informed about the death once they reached the police station

Wahedul said his father was a drug addict but not a drug trader.