Free pass: Murder victim’s family protests against police
According to eyewitnesses, the demonstrators alleged that Lathianwala Chak No 194-RB resident Irfan was abducted three months ago and the police failed to recover him despite registering a case against suspects Faqeer Muhammad, Talib Husain and Shameen Akhtar under FIR No.922/11 Section 364 of the Pakistan Penal Code (PPC).
The protesters said that the police refused to arrest the suspects.
“The men were here in our village but the police would not arrest them because of their connections. We kept protesting but they did not take action and now my son is dead,” said Irfan’s father Rehmat Khan.
Khan said that the kidnappers killed Irfan and hid his body in a dung heap. “We told them that the suspects had threatened to kill my son but they didn’t care,” he added.
“We finally approached the police saying that if they did not arrest the suspects we would go to the media,” said Irfan’s cousin Hashim. “On Friday the police arrested Shameen and he confessed. He even told us where to find the body but after that the police let him go. They held them for a few hours,” he added.
The protesters then blocked Khurarianwala Chowk by burning old tyres and blocking traffic for over six hours. Police officials eventually negotiated with the family and cleared the road.
Senior Superintendent Police (Operations) Sadiq Dogar personally assured the protesters that strict action would be taken against the police officials who released the suspects after he had confessed the crime.
“We will take strict action. The body has been sent for an autopsy.
The officials who let the suspects go will be suspended following a thorough investigation,” Dogar said.
Published in The Express Tribune, December 24th, 2011.
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