Haridwar, Uttarakhand : Nearly ten months after the suspicious death of Muslim gym trainer Wasim Qureshi, a judicial magistrate court in Haridwar has ordered the registration of an FIR against six police personnel allegedly involved in the incident.
Chief Judicial Magistrate Avinash Kumar Shrivastav, in his order passed on July 2, stated that the case appeared to be a prima facie murder and directed the Station House Officer (SHO) of Kotwali Gangnahar police station to register the FIR within 24 hours. The officers named include Sub-Inspector Sharad Singh, Constables Sunil Saini and Praveen Saini, along with three other policemen.
The court concluded that the incident required a full investigation, observing that the post-mortem report showed six injury marks on Wasim’s body, suggesting he had been brutally beaten before being thrown into a pond. The order came after an application filed by Wasim’s cousin, Alauddin Qureshi.
According to the family, Wasim, who worked as a gym trainer, was returning from his sister’s house on the night of August 24–25, 2024, when he was intercepted by the accused officers near a pond in Madhopur village. They alleged that the policemen beat him with sticks and threw him into the pond. When Wasim tried to get out, the officers reportedly prevented him, even threatening bystanders with guns when they tried to help.
Family members found multiple injuries on his body, later confirmed by the post-mortem report. However, the police version differed significantly, stating that Wasim lost control of his scooter after spotting a patrol team and fell, later running away. Police claimed they found beef in his vehicle and alleged he drowned by accident, with injuries caused by hitting solid objects. They also claimed part of his lip was eaten by fish.
The court, however, dismissed the police narrative, stressing that the presence of the officers at the scene and the nature of Wasim’s injuries pointed toward a deliberate act of violence.
Speaking to The Quint, Alauddin Qureshi emphasized that this was not a fabricated case. “We have evidence, including videos, to prove that Wasim was brutally beaten and killed by the police. This is a fight for truth and justice,” he said. He also alleged that Wasim was targeted due to his Muslim identity and falsely accused of cow slaughter, a charge he vehemently denied.
Wasim was the eldest son and the primary breadwinner for his family. His gym is now being managed by his younger brother, while their father, Nasim, works as a laborer. Alauddin added that the family was threatened and harassed by the police, with even false cases being filed against him in an apparent attempt to pressure them.
“We were threatened when we approached the police. They even told Wasim’s father that they would cut off his beard,” Alauddin stated.
Despite the court order, Haridwar Superintendent of Police (Rural), Shekhar Chandra Suyal, confirmed that no FIR has been registered yet, stating that a stay has been placed on the court’s directive.
However, Qureshi’s lawyer Sajjad Ahmed confirmed that they would appeal to have the stay removed in the next court hearing to ensure justice is served.
