Police brutality: Bounced cheque suspect shot dead

Nawabshah cops allegedly opened fire on Wali for resisting arrest

KARACHI:

Another case of police high-handedness came to fore when a citizen was killed resisting arrest for a minor crime of a dishonoured cheque. Wali Muhammad, a resident of Shaheed Benazirabad (Nawabshah), was shot dead in Moeenabad area of Sharafi Goth allegedly by cops who had come from his hometown to haul him away in a bounced cheque case.

Enraged over the blatant act of police brutality, the heirs, family members and the local community staged a sit-in on the major entry point of the metropolis - Quaidabad intersection refusing to budge until the cops responsible for extrajudicial killing were arrested and booked for murder.

The family and the neighbours protesting against the custodial killing of Wali Muhammad put his body on Quaidabad-Dawood Chowrangi and suspended the traffic.

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The protesters demanded registration of case against policemen responsible for the firing incident. The protest was on-going and officers of the police and the district administration were trying to negotiate with the demonstrators until the filing of the report.

The suspension of the traffic due to the sit-in led to gridlock and long queues of vehicles at the thoroughfare which connects the city with National Highway. Initially, the Karachi police spokesman had issued a statement that an unidentified man was shot dead by unidentified people for reasons unknown.

Later, as the situation cleared, police informed that a squad from Shaheed Benazirabad (Nawabshah) had come to arrest Wali Muhammad, who was absconding in a case of bounced cheque.

Sharafi Goth police station Duty Officer Luqman told The Express Tribune a case against Wali Muhammad for cheque dishonour was lodged under section 489-F at the Airport Police Station, Shaheed Benazirabad (SBB).

Police of the precinct concerned had come to Karachi to arrest the suspect and registered its arrival at the Sharafi Goth police station. Following the departmental procedures, the SBB police accompanied by the local officials, went to arrest the suspect from his house in the Moeenabad area on Saturday.

However, Wali resisted arrest and during the scuffle near the Jillani General Store, one of the cops from the SBB police opened fire injuring him critically. The injured sucumbed to the injuries on Saturday night, Sharafi Goth police station Duty Officer Luqman said.

Meanwhile, Wali's death caused a commotion in the neighbourhood where people have blocked Quaiabad Dawood Chowrangi seeking registration of murder case against rogue cops.