Victimisation?: Christians cry foul against liquor raid
3 police officials injured, 9 arrested after late night raid
BAHAWALPUR:
Three police officials were injured on Monday night during in a clash with residents of a Christian settlement during a raid in search of illicit liquor.
Police claimed they had raided the Bhatta 2 area over complaints of unauthorised sale and production of liquor. Residents of the Christian settlement however claimed they were targetted unfairly.
DPO Sohail Habib Tajik’s PRO Muhammad Imran told The Express Tribune police had raided Bhatta 2 on Sunday afternoon but were unable to find anyone in possession of liquor. “No arrests were made,” he said.
He said a larger police team, including Mohafiz Squad incharge Safdar Bhatti and Civil Lines SHO Mohsin Sardar and Cantt police, raided the area again on Monday night.
“We discovered thousands of litres of illegally brewed liquor, over 500 bottles with forged labels and caps of some popular brands,” he said.
“Nine people were arrested,” he said. “These included Liaqat Maseeh, Adnan, Yaqoob Maseeh, Salman Maseeh, Younas Maseeh, Pervaiz Maseeh, Sadiq Maseeh, Shahzad Maseeh and Mehboob Maseeh.”
The families of the arrested men and some neighbours threw stones at police and demanded the release of the arrested men. Three police officials including SI Muhammad Hussain, Constable Shakeel and Constable Imdad were injured and some of the suspects were snatched away from police custody. The wounded policemen were taken to Bahawal Victoria Hospital for treatment.
Police sent reinforcements led by City DSP Mirza Arif Rasheed, Elite Force Incharge Nasarulah. St Dominic Church’s father Nadeem Joseph talked to the police on behalf of the protestors. DSP Rasheed demanded that the villagers hand over the suspects who had been freed from police and those who had attacked police. After a four-hour dialogue, the police returned with the suspects.
Imran, a brother of Adnan, told The Tribune they were preparing liquor for their own consumption. “Police have falsely accused us…we do not sell liquor.”
“No labels or bottles were recovered from us,” he said. “Police entered our house without warrant and took the liquor we had prepared for our own use.”
Shan, another resident of the locality, said most of the people arrested had been brewing liquor for their own use.
“Police raided nine houses without warrants,” he said.
Father Nadeem Joseph toom said, “This was an attack on our community. Police entered the houses without warrants.”
Civil Lines SHO Mohsin Sardar said police had information that liquor was being moved on Monday night. “We were able to catch them with it,” he said.
He said 2,000 empty bottles, 1,200 litres of liquor, 2,500 labels and 2,500 caps were seized.
He said women constables had been part of the raiding team. “They first entered the houses first and asked the women and children to step aside,” he said.
Published in The Express Tribune, October 10th, 2012.
Three police officials were injured on Monday night during in a clash with residents of a Christian settlement during a raid in search of illicit liquor.
Police claimed they had raided the Bhatta 2 area over complaints of unauthorised sale and production of liquor. Residents of the Christian settlement however claimed they were targetted unfairly.
DPO Sohail Habib Tajik’s PRO Muhammad Imran told The Express Tribune police had raided Bhatta 2 on Sunday afternoon but were unable to find anyone in possession of liquor. “No arrests were made,” he said.
He said a larger police team, including Mohafiz Squad incharge Safdar Bhatti and Civil Lines SHO Mohsin Sardar and Cantt police, raided the area again on Monday night.
“We discovered thousands of litres of illegally brewed liquor, over 500 bottles with forged labels and caps of some popular brands,” he said.
“Nine people were arrested,” he said. “These included Liaqat Maseeh, Adnan, Yaqoob Maseeh, Salman Maseeh, Younas Maseeh, Pervaiz Maseeh, Sadiq Maseeh, Shahzad Maseeh and Mehboob Maseeh.”
The families of the arrested men and some neighbours threw stones at police and demanded the release of the arrested men. Three police officials including SI Muhammad Hussain, Constable Shakeel and Constable Imdad were injured and some of the suspects were snatched away from police custody. The wounded policemen were taken to Bahawal Victoria Hospital for treatment.
Police sent reinforcements led by City DSP Mirza Arif Rasheed, Elite Force Incharge Nasarulah. St Dominic Church’s father Nadeem Joseph talked to the police on behalf of the protestors. DSP Rasheed demanded that the villagers hand over the suspects who had been freed from police and those who had attacked police. After a four-hour dialogue, the police returned with the suspects.
Imran, a brother of Adnan, told The Tribune they were preparing liquor for their own consumption. “Police have falsely accused us…we do not sell liquor.”
“No labels or bottles were recovered from us,” he said. “Police entered our house without warrant and took the liquor we had prepared for our own use.”
Shan, another resident of the locality, said most of the people arrested had been brewing liquor for their own use.
“Police raided nine houses without warrants,” he said.
Father Nadeem Joseph toom said, “This was an attack on our community. Police entered the houses without warrants.”
Civil Lines SHO Mohsin Sardar said police had information that liquor was being moved on Monday night. “We were able to catch them with it,” he said.
He said 2,000 empty bottles, 1,200 litres of liquor, 2,500 labels and 2,500 caps were seized.
He said women constables had been part of the raiding team. “They first entered the houses first and asked the women and children to step aside,” he said.
Published in The Express Tribune, October 10th, 2012.