Two HMC officials shot, injured by land grabbers

Another suffers head injury by brick during anti-encroachment drive in a graveyard

HYDERABAD:

Three personnel of the Anti-Encroachment Cell of Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (HMC) were injured, including two with gunshots, by alleged squatters during a demolition at a graveyard on Monday.

The police said the squatters opened fire on the cell's staff who were demolishing a structure raised in a graveyard near the embankment of River Indus in Latifabad Unit 10 area.

Javed Hanif and Badar sustained gunshot injuries in their abdomens and were shifted to the Liaquat University Hospital. The third injured, Farhan Fareen, was hit in the head with a brick.

The attackers also pelted stones on a government vehicle, breaking its windscreen.

According to Shakeel Qureshi, in-charge of Anti-Encroachment Cell Latifabad, the leader of the 'occupation mafia' is known as Bara Baloch and his armed associates fired directly at the municipal officials.

No attacker could be arrested from the spot even though a police team accompanied the cell during the action. HMC Municipal Commissioner Fakhir Shakir told The Express Tribune that the bullet from Badar's abdomen had been removed but Hanif was yet to undergo surgery. "The doctors are saying that the next 24 hours are very crucial for the lives of the two injured officials." HMC Administrator Farooq Ahmed Khan said the corporation would financially support the injured staff. He said that they would file an FIR against the attackers to seek their arrest. Farooq vowed that the action against encroachment would not be stopped. The HMC was implementing Sindh High Court Sukkur Bench's order for removing encroachment from graveyards when the staff met this violent resistance. Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan MPA Nadeem Ahmed Siddiqui condemned the attack, saying criminal elements had taken refuge in localities building residential structures on government land or in graveyards. He lamented that the district administration did not take action on their complaints. The MPA demanded registration of FIR against the attackers under the Anti-Terrorism Act.