Playing favourites: SHO and muharrar suspended for negligence

Bilal and Waqas were fired upon, police waited for two hours to take action.

FAISALABAD:

Mansoorabad Station House Officer (SHO) Rana Abdul Ghaffar was suspended from service on Monday and Muharrar Muhammad Abbas transferred on charges of delinquency. 

Police said Bilal and his relative, Waqas, were sitting outside their house in Haider Park, Abdullahpur, on Sunday when their rivals opened fire at them and fled on motorbikes. Bilal succumbed to his injuries on the spot and Waqas died at the divisional headquarters hospital.

Following the murder, several people including relatives of Bilal and Waqas staged a protest demonstration at Railway Chowk and a sit-in at GTS Chowk. They blocked the city’s busiest intersection which left vehicles stranded for two hours on the road.



Nasir Ali, a protestor, told The Express Tribune, “Bilal was rivals with proclaimed offender Munna Siyal.”

He alleged that Siyal had already killed two members of Bilal’s family and had previously tried to murder Bilal. “We repeatedly requested the police to provide us security and take action against Siyal but they paid us no heed.”

The protesters chanted slogans against police and demanded action against the officers who had refused to take action against Siyal.



Mansoorabad SHO Rana Abdul Ghaffar, along with members of the Elite Force, reached the site of protest and tried to pacify the protesters.

Mansoorabad police said Bilal’s family had filed a complaint against Siyal. They said further action would be taken after receiving the post-mortem reports. Special teams had been constituted to arrest Siyal and his accomplices, they said.

City Police Officer’s (CPO) spokesman told The Express Tribune that the Mansoorabad SHO and muharrar had been suspended from their jobs and directed to report to the police lines immediately.

Published in The Express Tribune, March 5^th, 2013.