Law and order: Seven cops accused of killing man in faked shootout
Suspects deny charge, say man had died from bullets fired by POs.
FAISALABAD:
Mochiwala police have registered a murder case against seven police officers including Jhang Saddar police station house officer after a man was shot and killed and another injured reportedly in crossfire between police and proclaimed offenders on Friday night.
The raid was carried out by Saddar SHO Syed Asif Ali Shah and other officials including Sub Inspectors Tauqeer Bahar and Naseem Asai, Assistant Sub Inspector Ishfaq Anjum, constables Shafique Ullah and Waqar Ahmad at a dera in Beerwali village in Mochiwala area.
Police have not arrested any of the officials involved. SHO Ayub Sahi said they would only arrest any policemen after ascertaining that the deceased had died from a bullet fired by the police.
SHO Sahi said the officials had denied killing Sajjabara Khan and injuring Jahanzeb in the raid. The SHO quoted them as saying that the two men were shot by the proclaimed offenders sheltering at the dera to divert raiding teams’ attention.
“We are investigating the matter. We’ll arrest the suspects once there is enough evidence to suggest that the bullet that killed Sajjabara Khan was shot by the police,” the SHO said.
He said policemen had told the investigators that they had fired in self defence when the POs opened fire at them. They said the raid was carried out after police was informed about the presence of several POs at the dera. These, they added, included Mattu Lakhana, Hafeez Ramana, Maratab Bhatti, and Kalluwani. They said all POs managed to escape from the scene.
The suspects told The Express Tribune that they were innocent and would cooperate with the police in investigation.
The body of the deceased will be sent for a post-mortem examination on Monday.
Jahanzeb, the man injured in the crossfire, is under treatment at Allied Hospital, Faisalabad.
Doctors treating him have described his condition as ‘critical’.
An FIR has been registered at Mochiwala police station under Section 302, 109, 148 and 149 of the Pakistan Penal Code.
The FIR was registered on orders of Jhang district police officer.
Relatives of the deceased have rejected the raiding team’s explanation. They insist the man was killed by the police.
The complainant, Asif, a nephew of the deceased, said there were no criminals at the dera. “Police raided the place without any warrants and killed my uncle,” he said.
He said his family would not accept any settlement or compensation in the matter.
Published in The Express Tribune, February 5th, 2012.
Mochiwala police have registered a murder case against seven police officers including Jhang Saddar police station house officer after a man was shot and killed and another injured reportedly in crossfire between police and proclaimed offenders on Friday night.
The raid was carried out by Saddar SHO Syed Asif Ali Shah and other officials including Sub Inspectors Tauqeer Bahar and Naseem Asai, Assistant Sub Inspector Ishfaq Anjum, constables Shafique Ullah and Waqar Ahmad at a dera in Beerwali village in Mochiwala area.
Police have not arrested any of the officials involved. SHO Ayub Sahi said they would only arrest any policemen after ascertaining that the deceased had died from a bullet fired by the police.
SHO Sahi said the officials had denied killing Sajjabara Khan and injuring Jahanzeb in the raid. The SHO quoted them as saying that the two men were shot by the proclaimed offenders sheltering at the dera to divert raiding teams’ attention.
“We are investigating the matter. We’ll arrest the suspects once there is enough evidence to suggest that the bullet that killed Sajjabara Khan was shot by the police,” the SHO said.
He said policemen had told the investigators that they had fired in self defence when the POs opened fire at them. They said the raid was carried out after police was informed about the presence of several POs at the dera. These, they added, included Mattu Lakhana, Hafeez Ramana, Maratab Bhatti, and Kalluwani. They said all POs managed to escape from the scene.
The suspects told The Express Tribune that they were innocent and would cooperate with the police in investigation.
The body of the deceased will be sent for a post-mortem examination on Monday.
Jahanzeb, the man injured in the crossfire, is under treatment at Allied Hospital, Faisalabad.
Doctors treating him have described his condition as ‘critical’.
An FIR has been registered at Mochiwala police station under Section 302, 109, 148 and 149 of the Pakistan Penal Code.
The FIR was registered on orders of Jhang district police officer.
Relatives of the deceased have rejected the raiding team’s explanation. They insist the man was killed by the police.
The complainant, Asif, a nephew of the deceased, said there were no criminals at the dera. “Police raided the place without any warrants and killed my uncle,” he said.
He said his family would not accept any settlement or compensation in the matter.
Published in The Express Tribune, February 5th, 2012.