Multiple gunmen had attacked the PPP gathering in Sadoro Janwri village near Khairpur, and a total of six people, including one journalist, were killed and 10, including three journalists, were injured. Janwri was arrested from Bhawalpur on October 14. He had reportedly rented a house in Meley Wali Gali in Bahawalpur and moved there with his family on October 4. The Sindh government had fixed Rs2.5 million as head money for the suspect’s arrest.
Khairpur police had obtained the suspect’s remand for 12 days and he was later handed over to Sukkur police for investigation. Janwri was under the custody of Bagarji police station, nearly 15 kilometres from Sukkur, when unidentified men attacked the police station.
Head constable Muhabat Ali confirmed that Janwri had been transferred to Bagarji police on October 25. He added that IGP Fayyaz Leghari had directed Sukkur SSP Pir Mohammad Shah to investigate the matter. While providing details about the incident, Ali said that, owing to Eid holidays, only a single constable was on duty at the Bagarji police station on Monday night. Around 1:20 am on Tuesday, a group of armed men raided the police station and overpowered the constable, Samiullah Soomro. They took his G-3 rifle, unlocked Janwri’s cell by firing on the lock and then fled.
However, in a conflicting statement, Bagarji SHO Shah Dino Chandio said that four policemen were also posted on the police station’s roof. A group of four bandits overpowered Samiullah and fled after rescuing Janwri from the lock-up. Chandio claimed that the policemen chased the culprits and an encounter ensued, during which Janwri was killed on the spot. The culprits then fled, leaving behind Janwri’s body. Police have registered a case against four people, including Saadullah Janwri, who is the son of the deceased.
Hasnain Shah, media manager of Sukkur SSP Pir Mohammad Shah, confirmed the details provided by Bagarji police. SSP Shah was unavailable for comment.
When asked if the incident was an extrajudicial killing, provincial information minister and PPP leader Sharjeel Memon said that some elements were using criminals to attack the party’s rallies as well as the properties of its lawmakers. “Not a single extrajudicial murder has been reported during the tenure of our government,” he said, before dispelling the impression that police had deliberately killed the suspect.
PPP MNA Nafeesa Shah was scheduled to speak at the October 7 event, but around fifteen minutes before her arrival, at least four armed men had attacked the gathering. A case had been registered on October 9 at the Section B police station against Azizullah Janwri, Hafiz Abdul Qayoom Janwri, Abdullah Janwri, Saadullah Janwri, journalist Shakeel Janwri, Jam Fakir Janwri Sher Mohammad Janwri and three unknown persons. Police arrested four suspects, Hafiz Abdul Qayoom, Abdullah, Sher Mohammad and Lakhmir Janwri, from Khairpur. According to sources, these suspects are regularly shifted from one lock-up to another in Khairpur.
Questions remain
A police officer, speaking on the condition of anonymity, questioned the wisdom of transferring Azizullah to Bagarji police station, which he said was noticeably “unsafe”. “The accused should have been kept at the heavily guarded ‘A’ section police station in Sukkur.” The officer added that it was strange that only Azizullah was hit during the encounter, which reportedly continued for over 30 minutes.
With additional input by PPI
Published in The Express Tribune, October 31st, 2012.
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