KARACHI: A 15-year-old boy, identified as Irfan, who passed away while in the custody of the Special Investigation Unit (SIU) in Karachi, was found to have multiple injuries on his body, according to the initial postmortem report. The findings directly contradict the police’s earlier claim that he died from a heart attack.
Dr. Samia Tariq, the police surgeon in charge of the autopsy, confirmed that Irfan showed signs of severe torture at several points on his body. She also stated that samples from different organs were collected for chemical analysis to determine the precise cause of death. “The final cause of death will be confirmed once the chemical analysis report is received,” she explained.
Irfan was reportedly detained on Wednesday morning from the Aysha Manzil area while filming a TikTok video with his friends. By 7 p.m. that evening, his body was brought to Jinnah Hospital, but the postmortem was not conducted until over 36 hours later.
Initially, police attempted to perform the autopsy that night, but medical staff refused, insisting the procedure be done under the supervision of a magistrate. The postmortem was finally carried out on Friday morning with oversight from a medical board and a magistrate.
Doctors confirmed at least seven significant injury marks on Irfan’s body, including head wounds, facial bruises, and trauma to his lower back and sensitive areas. Organ samples were preserved for further chemical testing.
Despite these findings, no FIR has been filed yet. Three sub-inspectors from the SIU have been suspended, but no arrests have been made.
The police have stated that Irfan, along with several other young men, was detained for questioning related to an unspecified case, though no details about the case have been provided. Irfan, originally from Bahawalpur, had come to Karachi for work and was reportedly picked up by SIU officers near Ayesha Manzil while recording a TikTok video with other youths. The reason for his detention remains unclear.
While SIU officials initially claimed that Irfan’s death was due to cardiac arrest, the autopsy results have raised serious doubts about that explanation.
In the wake of the incident, Irfan’s family staged a protest in the Shafiq Mor area of Karachi, blocking traffic for hours. The protest ended after successful negotiations with senior police officers, who assured the family that a transparent inquiry would take place.
Following the incident, three SIU sub-inspectors were suspended, but no further action has been taken. Authorities have yet to file an FIR against any of the officers involved. Sindh’s Additional Inspector General (AIG) has appointed SSP Korangi Tariq Nawaz to investigate the circumstances surrounding Irfan’s death and the role of the SIU officials.
