Lahore manhole deaths: Woman's husband says police beat him, pressured to admit killing wife and child

A man whose wife and infant daughter died after falling into an open manhole near Bhatti Gate in Lahore has accused police officers of torturing him and pressuring him to confess to killing them.

Speaking to a private TV channel, Ghulam Murtaza said that he went to the police station to report that his wife and daughter had fallen into a sewerage line, but was instead taken into custody. He alleged that SP Bilal and SHO Zain subjected him to physical abuse and accused him of lying about the incident.

Murtaza said that there was no dispute between him and his wife, adding that the family had come out for a walk. He claimed he repeatedly told the police that he had seen his wife and child fall into the sewer with his own eyes, but officers refused to believe him. He also alleged that police confiscated his mobile phone during detention. At the time of the incident, he said, one of his sons was with the mother.

Murtaza claimed that the officers repeatedly pressured him to admit that he had killed his wife and daughter. He alleged that police were trying to force a confession from him and that his cousin, Tanveer, was also detained alongside him.

The incident occurred on Wednesday near Data Darbar in the Bhati Gate area, where a woman and her infant daughter fell into an open sewer and lost their lives.