Site of the brick kiln where the Christian couple was burnt to death. PHOTO: SHAFIQ MALIK/EXPRESS
ISLAMABAD: Punjab police have reconstituted a joint investigation team (JIT) to probe the Kot Radha Kishan tragedy when a Christian couple was lynched last year.
In compliance with the top court’s March 9 order, the Punjab police chief while submitting a report on the suo motu case has told the Supreme Court the reconstituted team will now be headed by DIG Inspection and Vigilance Akhtar Umar Hayat Laleka.
On November 4, Shama and her spouse Shehzad were beaten to death by a mob over blasphemy allegations and then thrown into the furnace of a brick kiln, where the couple worked. On March 9, the top court while expressing dissatisfaction over the Punjab police investigation had directed the IGP to supervise the investigation himself.
“DIG Laleka has been directed to ensure impartiality in the investigation at every step of the case,” the IGP stated in the report. “He would keep me informed about the progress of the investigation on every step and seek necessary advice to ensure on-merit investigation.”
Besides, he added, in line with the direction about the statements under Section 164 of the Criminal Procedure Code, the witnesses were produced in the court of Magistrate Syed Muhammad Ilyas in Kasur on March 19 to record their statements.
The report states that apart from the witnesses’ statements, wooden sticks, iron rods, fire lids of the kiln, a semi-burnt talisman and some broken articles have been seized as evidence. A tractor trolley (used to take the victims to the kiln) was also impounded. In addition to the 76 suspects arrested till January 29, another 25 have been picked up bringing their total to 101. The Punjab police say 142 people are nominated in the case.
In line with the court’s last order, the report claims the role of ASI Abdul Rashid is being examined by the JIT. The Kasur DPO has also been directed to provide security to the case witnesses during their movement as well as their homes, where security officers have been deployed.
While sharing the fact-finding committee’s report, the IGP said that ASI Rasheed knew the issue of blasphemy accusations was brewing a day before the incident took place. But he kept quiet on the matter and did not bother to inform his senior officers.
The fact-finding committee would now collect the call data records (CDRs) of all the officers – from the DPO to the SHO – to further examine their role in the attack. The committee has held responsible ASI Muhammad Ali, Muhammad Saleem, Ahmad Din and Hakim Ali for not acting in a manner befitting a police officer.
The hearing of case will be resumed on March 24.
Published in The Express Tribune, March 22nd, 2015.
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