Nine drugs detected in bodies of two women who died in police custody: Punjab IGP

• Medical board says combined drug toxicity causes both deaths.
• Investigators find no evidence of torture or external injuries.
• Two suspects arrested in Hina Javed murder case: police.

LAHORE: Punjab Inspector General of Police Abdul Karim said investigations into the deaths of two women in Township police custody had been completed transparently.

Speaking at a press conference at the Central Police Office, Lahore, alongside CCPO Bilal Siddique and DIG Investigation Syed Zeeshan Raza on Tuesday, the IGP said the final forensic report into the deaths of the two women, identified as Amina and Anmol, had been received, The News reported on Wednesday.

According to the report, samples collected from both women confirmed the presence of nine different types of drugs.

The Punjab police chief said a medical board comprising doctors had unanimously concluded that both women died of cardiopulmonary arrest caused by combined drug toxicity.

He said the medical board's examination found no evidence of physical torture, external injuries or wounds on the bodies of the women.

The IGP said a magisterial inquiry under Section 176 of the Code of Criminal Procedure had also been conducted and found no evidence of police torture.

According to the investigation, both women had been brought to Township police station following action on a 15 emergency call.

He said both women had previous records in multiple cases involving alleged fraud and deception, with cases also registered against them in Lahore and Gujrat.

He added that initial observations by the medical board showed multiple injection marks on the women's arms, which were consistent with repeated injections.

The Punjab Forensic Science Authority (PFSA) collected the required forensic samples and subsequently submitted its report.

Regarding the alleged rape case at Ghaziabad police station, the IGP said police had taken immediate action and arrested the accused, identified in the official statement as Imran, an assistant sub-inspector (ASI).

The IGP said all personnel found responsible for negligence had been suspended and departmental inquiries had been initiated against them.

He said the victim had also undergone mental-health assessment sessions at the Punjab Institute of Mental Health. According to the institute’s report, the woman had mild intellectual disability.

The PFSA's report had also been received, he said, adding that, according to the report, the DNA profile of accused ASI Imran did not match the samples obtained from the victim.

Karim said further investigation into the Ghaziabad case was being conducted on merit and that the accused would be brought to justice according to law.

The IGP said there had also been significant progress in the murder case of Hina Javed in Rawalpindi.

Hina was found dead at her home in Rawalpindi’s Lalkurti area, with her body tied to a shower in the bathroom. Police initially treated the incident as a suicide after her father-in-law reported that thieves had broken into the house, but later registered a murder case.

A post-mortem revealed multiple injuries, including a fractured neck bone and marks on her ribs and hip. Police arrested her husband Faisal Asghar and domestic worker Zeeshan, who were sent on a three-day physical remand for further investigation.

The Punjab police chief said three suspects had been nominated in the FIR and two had been arrested. The two arrested suspects had been taken on a three-day physical remand, he added.

According to the police, an attempt had initially been made to portray Hina's murder as suicide. Rawalpindi police subsequently registered a murder case and their investigation established it as murder.

Karim said the investigation into Hina's murder would be conducted strictly on merit.

Regarding the murder of Abdullah Tahir, Karim said the investigation was still underway, and efforts were continuing to arrest the alleged shooters.

He said the suspects had fled to Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and police were continuing efforts to trace them. He added that efforts were also under way to bring accused persons currently abroad back to the country.

The IGP said there had also been progress in the case involving the killing of two police personnel in Lahore's Badami Bagh area.

He said police had traced the location of a fugitive terrorist and that he would be arrested soon.

Clarifying the status of the Dolphin Force, the IGP said it was not being abolished. Instead, the force was being reorganised, with control being handed over to the relevant station house officers (SHOs) to improve its performance.