‘Mob attacks’ police, MEPCO teams
Police officer in riot gear stand guard outside a Radio Pakistan office building after it was set afire by the supporters of Pakistan's former Prime Minister Imran Khan during a protest against his arrest, in Peshawar, Pakistan, May 11, 2023. PHOTO: REUTERS
An enraged mob comprising hundreds of people allegedly attacked a police party and the staff of the regional circle of the Multan Electric Power Company (MEPCO) in Basti Sohrani of Dera Ghazi Khan, police said.
The alleged that mob also robbed the policemen of weapons and mobile phones.
The mob had allegedly held policemen hostage until they were rescued by reinforcements sent to free them.
Some people among the mob allegedly opened fire on the police team that had been sent to rescue the hostages, police said.
Ten policemen sustained injuries in the violence unleashed on the cops.
Three of the injured cops were shifted to the Trauma Centre of the Teaching Hospital.
The focal point of the alleged violent agitation was the severing of illegal power connections in Basti Sohrani, an area that falls under the jurisdiction of the Gadai Police Station and which is said to have a population of nearly 5,000 people.
Sources said that 90% of the houses in Basti Sohrani were allegedly involved in power theft.
Police claimed that more than 100 “enraged people” and “power thieves” from the Basti took MEPCO and police team hostage and tortured them.
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As soon as police received information about the incident, they dispatched reinforcements to the spot. The arrival of the reinforcements upped the ante, and the mob allegedly started beating up the police personnel with sticks.
Police said that the situation became uglier when it transpired that some people among the mob had been armed, and they took no time in opening fire on the police.
Three of the injured policemen, ASI Azadar, Muhammad Yusuf and Constable Shahzad, were taken to the Trauma Centre of the Teaching Hospital.
The DPO, along with a heavy contingent of police, reached the spot and ordered an operation against the miscreants.
Till the filing of this report, police had arrested many suspects.
Gadai Police registered a case against more than 20 nominated and 150 unidentified suspects under the provisions of kidnapping, attempted murder and some other serious charges on the complaint by the SHO of Gadai, Nasrullah Khan.
The Commissioner of Dera Ghazi Khan, Dr. Nasir Mehmood Bashir, along with DPO Ahmed Mohiuddin, visited the hospital and inquired after the health of the injured policemen.
The commissioner commended the valour of the policemen.
The commissioner also asked the medical superintendent of the Teaching Hospital to give the best treatment to the injured cops.
The commissioner, along with the DPO, also visited the Multan Electric Power Company (MEPCO) circle of Dera Ghazi Khan.
The Dera Ghazi Khan circle of MEPCO supplies power to Fort Monroe, Taunsa, Rajanpur and other areas besides Dera Ghazi Khan.
The commissioner met with the officers and employees of MEPCO and assured them that the administration would take all possible measures to prevent power theft in the division.
The commissioner said that there was no “No-Go Area” for the police.
The SE of MEPCO thanked the police for having have safely rescued 150 of the company’s employees.
Published in The Express Tribune, October 23rd, 2023.