Hide and seek: Bystander killed in police shootout

Two accused constables arrested, two at large.

LAHORE:

Naseerabad police on Tuesday had not arrested two of four constables accused of killing a passer-by and injuring two others in a shootout in Nawaz Sharif Colony on Monday.

Constables Mujahid and Liaquat have been arrested while Ilyas and Ehtesham are still at large. Police said the two had offered to surrender.

Naseerabad SHO Muhammad Shabbir said Ilyas and Ehtesham had called on Monday evening and offered to surrender, but did not. He said they had called again on Tuesday and offered to surrender on Wednesday. He said there was no need to conduct raids for their arrest since they were offering to surrender.

He said that a forensic report that would establish whether the deceased had been hit by a police bullet was awaited.

Shabbir said that Ilyas and Ehtesham had gone to Nawaz Sharif Colony to look for John, a drug peddling suspect, but had met with resistance. They had called for reinforcements and four policemen had been sent. A shootout followed. Passer-by Adeel, 15, was killed and Naseem, Bhola, Yasir Masih and Robin Masih were injured. Neighbourhood residents then staged a protest and set fire to police vehicles.

Later, Naseerabard police registered an FIR against 10 police officials on the complaint of M Ashraf, Adeel’s father. He said eyewitnesses had told him that Ilyas had fired on his son.

Published in The Express Tribune, August 15^th, 2012.