Sindh Police allegedly pay blood money for prisoner’s murder

The under trial prisoner was shot dead after he escaped from court

HYDERABAD: Sujawal District SSP Ameer Saud Magsi has reportedly paid Rs700,000 as blood money on behalf of policemen to the widow of an under-trial prisoner who was shot dead while escaping from the court last month. The SSP, however, denies the claims that he paid the blood money or held a jirga.

The under-trial prisoner (UTP), Abdullah Otho, was shot dead on September 28 following a chase by the police in the bushes, after he escaped from the court of the second civil judge and the judicial magistrate. He was nominated in eight FIRs of theft at Chohar Jamali Police Station.

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The prisoner, who, according to the SSP, is booked in around 16 FIRs at different police stations, had also escaped in 2010 from the police custody. He told the local media that policemen wanted to injure the escaping prisoner but the bullet hit his head, causing his sudden death.

ASI Ali Muhammad and constables Abdullah Jamali, Muhammad Khan Jamari, Abdul Majeed Sahito and Ali Ahmed were later nominated in an FIR for allegedly killing the UTP. Hyderabad DIG Naeem Ahmed Shaikh handed over the inquiry of the incident to SSP Thatta.

Magsi said the inquiry also established that policemen did not intend to kill Otho. "We have helped Otho's family and we have given them money. And they have forgiven the policemen in the name of the God," he said. Nevertheless, he added that the court will decide if the pardon is acceptable or not.

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Separately, Sujawal DSP Gul Abbass led the accused policemen to the slain UTP's village, where they tendered their apology to the family. The DSP, while talking to the local media, reiterated that the accused policemen had no personal grudge against Otho and that his killing was unintentional as the policemen only wanted to injure the escaping prisoner. Abdullah Otho, brother of the slain prisoner, also confirmed that they have forgiven the policemen.

Published in The Express Tribune, October 19^th, 2019.