Killing of villager: ASI, four constables suspended

HARIPUR:

An assistant sub-inspector (ASI) and four constables of Haripur police station were suspended on Tuesday for their alleged involvement in the killing of an unarmed villager.

The five police officials were suspended on the orders of District Police Officer (DPO) Haripur Muhammad Ali Gandapur.

The DPO had promised to probe the incident three days back after over 400 villagers blocked the Khanpur-Taxila road and demanded registration of an FIR against the police officials responsible for killing Sharif Khan, 28, of Tofkiyan village.

The victim’s family as well as eyewitnesses accused the police of forcefully entering Sharif’s house, shooting him dead and then dragging his body onto the street by a rope tied to his neck. They maintained that Sharif was unarmed at the time he was killed.

However, the police had claimed that Sharif was killed when they returned fire after he shot and injured an Additional SHO.

Published in The Express Tribune, July 4^th, 2012.