The official claimed Munir jumped into the river when police tried to grab him, adding he drowned. PHOTO:FILE
Farooq Khan, an official of the Warhi police, said a police patrol spotted Munir, a resident of Rabat, smoking hashish at around 1pm in Warhi Bazaar. Khan added police officers were informed earlier that Munir was also supplying contraband in the area.
The official claimed Munir jumped into the river when police tried to grab him, adding he drowned.
However, Haji Dilaram Khan, an elder of the area, along with Malik Azam and other residents who were present at the bazaar, said the man was a hashish smoker but not a supplier. They claimed police tried to arrest him, but Munir ran towards the riverbank out of fear. Munir also reportedly threatened to jump in the river if the police approached him.
Haji claimed police did not halt their advance, adding Munir then threw himself into the river. “Police were standing at the bank and did not even try to rescue the man as he drowned,” he alleged.
Following the incident, residents of the area gathered and recovered the body from the river. It was then placed in the middle of the road which was blocked for traffic by protestors demonstrating against the Warhi police and SHO Farooq Khan.
Addressing the protestors, Haji Dilaram alleged police arrested hashish smokers on one hand and took bribes from drug traffickers and smugglers on the other. “They should rid the area of smugglers and users will leave themselves,” he said, adding the police officers did not take Munir’s threats seriously and did not help him as he drowned.
The road remained blocked for more than an hour after which Assistant Commissioner Ilyas Ahmad assured the protestors an inquiry would be conducted into the incident. Following this, the demonstrators scattered.
Published in The Express Tribune, May 24th, 2013.
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