FAISALABAD: Protesters besieged Jaranwala city police station, roughed up two policemen and staged a demonstration by placing the body of a man on a road who was allegedly tortured to death in custody.

The police claimed Ansar Ali (35) was drunk and creating fuss near Nishat Cinema Chowk when he was picked by policemen on duty.

TheyclaimedthatAnsarwasbroughttotheJaranwala city police station where he jumped from the building`s rooftop in a bid to escape, but suffered a critical head injury and died on the spot.

The protesters, however, insisted that the police tortured Ansar to death, asking how a detained man could reach the police station`s roof top and jump from there.

They said police picked Ansar on Sunday night and on Monday morning told his f amily that he had commit-ted suicide.

Following the Ansar`s death in custody, his family members, relatives and locals besieged the police station and chanted slogans against police. After the body was handed over to Ansar`s f amily, they placed it on the road outside the police station and staged a protest demonstration.

During the protest, some of the protesters tried to enter the police station but the policemen locked its main gate.

The enraged protesters also roughed up two policemen.

Senior superintendent of police`s operations wing, Mr Ali Raza, also backed the claim of his subordinates and said the suspect died while trying to escape from the police station. He said the policemen were busy registering a case against the suspect when he suddenly climbed the building`s rooftop and jumped from there. He said the torture allegations were not proved so far.

He, however, said two policemen had been suspended from service and a probe into the issue had been launched.