Inspector tortured youth inside narcotics office

A young man was tortured at Barishal Divisional Narcotics Control  Office (BDNCO) about five months ago, investigators have confirmed after primary probe.

A video of the incident was leaked to a private media channel last Tuesday.

"After the video was released, we found truth in the allegation that Inspector Abdul Malek Hawlader tortured Maruf Sikder (20) at his office room on the ground floor of the divisional office on September 22 last year. The victim had complained about the matter," said Paritosh Kumar Kundu, Additional Director of BDNCO and head of the investigation team.

He said preparations are underway to take disciplinary action including a departmental case against the accused inspector.

"We found that the young man was tortured and so departmental action will be taken against the inspector. It happened five months ago, maybe someone close to Malek recorded it. We are not investigating who recorded it, but the truth has been found," said Parikosh Kumar.

"Charges for yaba possession against Maruf is ongoing, however. He is out on bail after 19 days in jail," he added.

Maruf Sikder is a resident of ward-1, BSCIC road in Barishal city. He said Malek had picked him at 6:30pm on September 22 near BSCIC Shahabuddin Bakery.

"I was taken to the office. I was handcuffed and then beaten. To get a confessional statement, they dropped five yaba tablets in my pocket," alleges Maruf.

"My son doesn't know anything. He was caught and beaten. We have faith in the almighty for my son's fate now," said Anwara Sikder, the victim's mother.

 This correspondent found the victim and his family at the Divisional Narcotics Control Office yesterday afternoon.

They said they had been asked to come to the office and had no other information. Maruf Sikder said he used to work as a fourth-grade employee at a local newspaper office, but has been unemployed since the onset of the pandemic.

Meanwhile, sources in the Divisional Office of Narcotics Control said that it is true that Maruf was beaten and tortured. However, there are two more cases against Maruf, including a drug case.

Maruf said that he was arrested by the police in 2018 on suspicion of being involved in a fight. He was also arrested by police on suspicion of being involved in a drug operation, but Maruf claims he had nothing to do with it.

 Meanwhile, Inspector Abdul Malek Hawlader said that Maruf was only "interrogated" in the drug case.

"Yaba pills were recovered from him. The allegation that the drugs were planted is false," he said, adding that the video that is circulating has been edited.