Cop accused of killing youths remanded

One youngster died on Eid day while his companion expired a day later

MULTAN:

A constable, Mohammad Bilal Dharala, who, along with two other policemen, had been accused of opening fire on two youths unprovoked on the first day of Eidul Fitr, was remanded in police custody for five days by a magistrate in Multan.

The youths had died due to police’s firing.

Shah Rukn-e-Alam Police Station had registered a case under the provisions of murder and attempt to murder.

Police had arrested the main accused, Constable Bilal, while ASI Yasir got bail before arrest.

The third accused in the case is still at large.

According to eyewitness Irfan, a friend of his, Samiullah, 24, a resident of Shah Rukn-e-Alam Colony, had visited his house in Dogran to see him.

At night, Irfan, along with his brother, Usman, offered Samiullah to drop him off at his residence on their motorcycle, said the eyewitness.

The three youths rode on their motorcycle to Samiullah’s house, with Irfan at the helm and Usman and Samiullah travelled as his pillions, said Irfan.

Meanwhile, a mobile van of Shah Rukn-e-Alam Police Station signaled Irfan to stop near the Jinnah Park Metro Station. Seeing this, Irfan panicked and diverted the bike into the service lane, he said.

This made the police suspicious. They chased them and allegedly shot them from behind, injuring Samiullah and Usman seriously. Irfan escaped unscathed.

According to eyewitness Irfan, his brother Usman’s Nikah was schedule to be solemnised on the second day of Eid.

Irfan alleged that the policemen did not provide them any help.

He himself took his injured friend and brother to the hospital where the doctors pronounced Samiullah dead while Usman died at the hospital on the second day of Eid, the very day his Nikah had been scheduled to be solemnised.

When the matter came to the notice of the police officers, a case was registered against the policemen under Sections 302 and 324 of the PPC on the complaint of Samiullah’s father.

According to police sources, ASI Yasir, Constables Javed and Bilal had been present at the picket that night.

The City Police Officer, Mansoorul Haq Rana, said that one accused had been arrested “while ASI Yasir has been involved in the investigation after getting bail”, while raids were also being conducted to arrest the absconding accused.

Mansoorul Haq Rana said that he himself had gone to the houses of the slain youths, Samiullah and Usman, to offer his condolences.

He said he had also assured the heirs of the deceased of police’s full cooperation.

Published in The Express Tribune, April 29^th, 2023.