March tomorrow for death probe man

11:13am Friday 8th August 2008

FRIENDS, family and supporters of Habib Ullah, the man who died after being searched by police, will be marching through Wycombe town centre tomorrow.

The peaceful demonstration is being organised to try to raise awareness of community concerns over the circumstances of his death.

Mr Ullah, 39, from Slough, collapsed with breathing difficulties during a drugs search of a car parked in Lee Court, Sharrow Vale, High Wycombe.

Mr Ullah - who had been restrained by officers - died at Wycombe Hospital.

The death is now being investigated by the Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC). A report by the commission said that a package was found in Mr Ullah's windpipe.

The march, starting at noon, will begin at Green Street Youth and Community Centre in Desborough Road, and move into town.

Organisers hope that between 500 and 1,000 people may attend the march, to be followed by a rally in Frogmoor.

Members of Mr Ullah's family spoke of their grief at the circumstances of his death at a public meeting last Friday, held to discuss concerns over the way he died.

His sister, who did not want to be named, said: "We're concerned with what's happened, how it happened and want to know exactly how my brother died.

"What methods were used and how did they restrain him?

"Why did it take five or six hours to come to my home and tell us our brother passed away?

"He's in our minds every day and in our hearts. We cannot just forget him."

Thames Valley Police and the IPCC were invited to the meeting, at Green Street Youth and Community Centre, in Desborough Street, High Wycombe, but declined to attend.

A letter from Supt Rob Angell was read out, which said it would be inappropriate for the police to attend with the IPCC investigation into Mr Ullah's death still being carried out.

Saquib Deschmukh, a volunteer and information worker, said he was "concerned and dismayed" and thought both organisations could have attended without compromising the investigation.

He told the meeting there was concern over the "intervention" from officers and referred to the levels of restraint used in an incident in January, in which Mohammed Usman Ali was arrested after a brawl took place in front of shoppers in Wycombe town centre.

Mr Ali, 19, of Cumbrian Way, High Wycombe, is currently appealing against his convictions for resisting police officers in the execution of their duties. In May he was acquitted of a public order charge relating to the same event.

Mr Deschmukh spoke about deaths in police custody.

He said that during 2006 and 2007 there had been 82 such deaths, and these were "disproportionately" of people of Asian and Afro-Caribbean origin.

However, statistics from the IPCC say there have been 84 fatalities, stemming from 82 incidents, "during or following police contact" in England and Wales during this time.

Zahir Mohammed, county councillor for Downley, Disraeli, Oakridge and Castlefield, explained he was satisfied with the parameters of the IPCC investigation.

He said: "Either the restraint that was used is legal or it was illegal.

"If it was illegal we want to see some punishment.

"If it was legal then the community needs help."

An IPCC report into the circumstances of Mr Ullah's death noted: "Drug paraphernalia was seized from the footwell in the rear of the car.

"At the hospital, doctors removed a package from Mr Ullah's windpipe, a second package was subsequently found on his person."

The report said the pathologist later confirmed there was no evidence of injuries caused by being "beaten of struck with a baton".

It added "no police officers are under investigation.

"At this stage the investigation has not identified any evidence to suggest any criminal offence may have been committed by any police officer."

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