Lahore police custody deaths: Why two young women died after arrest

Theft allegation led to police custody

Two young women were taken into police custody after a resident accused them of stealing gold jewellery and Rs5,000 cash from his house. The complainant alleged the women entered the house, asked for water and stole valuables while his wife was away.

According to the complaint, local residents caught the women before they could leave. The crowd allegedly beat them and later handed them over to police.

One woman was kept at Township Police Station, while the other was shifted to Lytton Road Police Station for further investigation by women police officials. Police later said both women fell unconscious while in custody.

Police reject torture claims

Both women were rushed to separate hospitals after their health suddenly deteriorated. Doctors declared them “received dead,” raising fresh concerns over the circumstances surrounding their deaths.

Operations DIG Faisal Kamran denied allegations that the women were tortured or mistreated in custody. He said the initial inquiry suggested both women were chronic drug users and that a suspected drug overdose may have caused their deaths.

The DIG said the women’s condition appeared to worsen after they were taken into police custody. However, he stressed that a detailed investigation is necessary to determine the exact cause of death.

High-level inquiry ordered

Police officials said postmortem examinations will be conducted to establish the facts. Investigators are also working closely with doctors to complete the medical process as quickly as possible.

The DIG said police have obtained video recordings showing the women after they were detained by local residents. He added that another video allegedly shows one of the women asking a police officer to arrange narcotics for her.

Also read: Lahore police restrict women’s presence at police stations after sunset

Police said more information will be shared after the investigation is completed. Officials have described the case as serious and said all facts will be examined through a high-level inquiry.

The deaths of two women in police custody have raised public concern and demand a transparent investigation. The postmortem reports and inquiry findings will be important in determining what happened and whether any negligence or wrongdoing occurred.