Law and order: Police accused of protecting murder suspect

Javaid died on Friday, was injured ‘in an attack’ five months ago.

FAISALABAD:

Dozens of residents of Ashrafabad area staged a protest demonstration against Sargodha Road police accusing them of colluding with killers of a man who died on Friday night from bullet injuries he had suffered in an attack five months ago.

The protesters gathered on Sheikhupura Road and blocked the traffic by burning old tyres. They demanded immediate suspension of Sargodha Road station house officer Ahmed Munir, accusing him of protecting suspected killer Riaz Ahmed and his accomplices who they said had bribed the police. They said another policeman should be placed in charge of the case. They said Javaid Ahmed was killed by Riaz and his accomplices over a property dispute between them.

Tufail Ahmed, brother of the deceased, said he had submitted a complaint against the suspects after his brother’s death on Friday night but the police were reluctant to register an FIR. He said a medical board constituted on court orders about two weeks ago had certified that Javaid had been murdered.

SHO Ahmed Munir told The Express Tribune that he had not registered a murder case there was as no evidence to back up the allegation. “It is apparently a suicide case. Our investigation suggests that Javaid had shot himself,” he said.

Superintendent of Police (Madina Town) Chaudhry Tahir Maqsood, however, said that a fresh probe would be launched in the matter. He said investigation would be expanded to include suspects mentioned in the complaint filed by Javaid’s family. He said a murder case would be registered if evidence was was forthcoming.

Meanwhile, Sub Inspector Bashir Ahmed was suspended from service on charges of faulty investigation on directives of the regional police officer. The RPO ordered the suspension on Tufail Ahmed’s complaint.

Javaid Ahmed, a resident of Ashrafabad, died from his injuries at Faisalabad district headquarters (DHQ) hospital on Friday night. He had been hospitalised with stab wounds he suffered five months ago.

Traffic on Sheikhupura Road remained blocked for over four hours during the protest.

Published in The Express Tribune, March 25^th, 2012.