LAHORE: A judicial probe and top-level administrative inquiry have been officially launched following the alarming death of two female suspects while in police custody at the Township Police Station in Lahore, sparking widespread outrage and calls for systemic accountability.

The deceased individuals, identified as local residents detained in connection with a reported theft case, reportedly collapsed inside the precinct facility during preliminary questioning. According to official statements from the Lahore Police Operations Wing, police personnel on duty noticed the two women experiencing severe medical distress and immediately transferred them to a nearby government hospital. However, attending medical doctors pronounced both women dead upon arrival.

News of the incident broke rapidly across local broadcast networks, including Geo News, Dawn News, and City 42, triggering protest demonstrations by family members and local community activists outside the police station. Relatives of the victims alleged physical maltreatment and procedural negligence by precinct staff, demanding an independent judicial review, strict registration of murder charges against the involved officers, and transparent access to medical findings.

In response to the growing public outcry, Deputy Inspector General (DIG) Operations Lahore, Muhammad Faisal Kamran, visited the precinct and immediately initiated a multi-track investigation. Addressing the media, DIG Kamran confirmed that an independent judicial magistrate has been requested to oversee the investigation, while the initial post-mortem examination is being conducted by a specialized medical board at the forensic department to determine the exact cause of death.

“There will be absolute transparency in this case. If any officer or staff member is found guilty of negligence, illegal detention, or physical high-handedness, they will face uncompromising criminal prosecution and departmental dismissal,” DIG Faisal Kamran stated during a press briefing. He further confirmed that duty officers present during the incident have been removed from active operational duties pending the final judicial and forensic findings. Local human rights organizations and legal observers noted that custodial deaths remain a critical challenge for police administration in Punjab. The Punjab Police leadership emphasized that digital surveillance footage recorded by internal CCTV cameras inside the Township police station has been secured and handed over to the judicial magistrate to ensure an uncompromised evidence trail. Further official updates are expected upon the release of the complete toxicological and post-mortem evaluation reports.