Lahore custody deaths: Punjab police says women died of drug overdose

Punjab Inspector General Rao Abdul Karim has said that there is no evidence of physical torture or police violence in the deaths of two women who died after being taken into custody at a Lahore police station.

Punjab Inspector General Rao Abdul Karim has said that there is no evidence of physical torture or police violence in the deaths of two women who died after being taken into custody at a Lahore police station.

The two women 17-year-old Amna and 22-year-old Anmol were sisters-in-law. They were arrested on August 4 in connection with a case involving alleged theft and fraud and were taken to Township Police Station in Lahore.

According to police both women developed health problems within a few hours of their detention. They were subsequently taken to hospital, where they died.

Speaking to the media on Tuesday night Punjab IG Rao Abdul Karim said a transparent and impartial investigation had been conducted into the incident.

He claimed that a medical board had found no evidence of physical torture external injuries or wounds on the bodies of either woman. He also said that a separate magisterial inquiry conducted under Section 176 of the Code of Criminal Procedure found no evidence of police torture.

The investigation included a detailed review of available CCTV footage while statements from police officers and witnesses were also recorded according to the Punjab police chief.

The IG further said that the initial medical examination found multiple injection marks on the women’s arms. According to him, the marks were consistent with repeated use of injectable substances.

The Punjab Forensic Science Authority collected the necessary forensic samples for further investigation and the forensic report has now been received.

Citing the forensic findings, the Punjab IG claimed that both women were habitual users of different types of drugs. He said the medical board had concluded that their deaths resulted from cardiac arrest caused by a drug overdose.

The police chief also claimed that both women had previous criminal cases registered against them in Lahore and Gujrat in connection with alleged fraud and cheating.

He added that a review of CCTV footage showed that the women’s clothes had already been torn before they were taken into police custody.

The deaths have raised questions about the circumstances surrounding the women’s detention and the events that occurred before they were taken to hospital. While the Punjab police has ruled out torture based on the available medical, forensic and investigative findings the case has attracted significant public attention.

The findings of the medical and forensic investigations are expected to remain central to any further legal or public scrutiny of the Lahore custody deaths.