Police telling victim’s family to reconcile with murderer
Akbari Gate not arresting men accused of murder and not putting a stop to their supporters.
LAHORE:
Akbari Gate police are not arresting men who are accused of murder and are also not putting a stop to their supporters who are extorting money from people in the area, said the son of the murdered man Usman Elahi
Adil Butt and his son Yasir Butt are accused of killing 50-year-old Karam Elahi, a make-shift food stall owner, at the Rang Mahal Chowk by kicking him and striking him with bricks. On the complaint of the deceased’s brother, Ehsan Elahi, the police registered an FIR under Sections 302 and 34 of the Pakistan Penal Code. The complainant said that on September 24 he saw Adil and his son Yasir, along with two other accomplices, beating his brother. He said that as he raced up to rescue his brother and the accused fled the scene. He said that he rushed his brother to the hospital where doctors pronounced him dead.
Ehsan said that the accused had killed his brother because he had refused to pay them extortion money for setting up a make-shift food stall in Rang Mahal. He said that the accused were influential in the area and enjoyed patronage of the area police. He said that the accused used to extort money from other shop keepers too. He said that the deceased had been getting life threats due to his refusal to comply with their demands.
Usman Elahi, a son of the deceased, told The Express Tribune that Adil, after killing his father, had lodged a false FIR against him and his uncle, Ehsan. He said that they had reached the police station at the same time and the police had arrested Adil on learning that his father was dead. He said that the police had kept Adil in the lock-up, however, he was allowed use of his mobile phone and to have private meetings outside the lock up with his visitors.
Usman said that a few days later whenthey went to the police station to inquire about other arrests, some of the officials, including the officer in-charge of investigation were harsh with them and told them to resolve the matter out of court.
Usman said that he believed the police had been bribed and were favouring the accused. Usman said they never went back to the police station. He said that they had a meeting with DSP Mehar Mumtaz regarding the arrest of the other accused men.
Mumtaz, he said, told him that the men had fled the country and it was impossible to trace them. He said that he told the police the supporters of the accused were still extorting money and sending it along to them but the police ignored this information. He said that Adil’s men continue to extort money.
Inspector Nasir, while talking to the Tribune, denied the charges and said that one of the accused had been already sent to jail. He acknowledged that the accused used to extort money in the area but added that after the murder that practice had stopped. Nasir said that the police were sympathetic to the family of the deceased and were trying hard to arrest the remaining suspects. He denied that any police official had pressed the family to reconcile with the accused.
Published in The Express Tribune, October 11th, 2010.
Akbari Gate police are not arresting men who are accused of murder and are also not putting a stop to their supporters who are extorting money from people in the area, said the son of the murdered man Usman Elahi
Adil Butt and his son Yasir Butt are accused of killing 50-year-old Karam Elahi, a make-shift food stall owner, at the Rang Mahal Chowk by kicking him and striking him with bricks. On the complaint of the deceased’s brother, Ehsan Elahi, the police registered an FIR under Sections 302 and 34 of the Pakistan Penal Code. The complainant said that on September 24 he saw Adil and his son Yasir, along with two other accomplices, beating his brother. He said that as he raced up to rescue his brother and the accused fled the scene. He said that he rushed his brother to the hospital where doctors pronounced him dead.
Ehsan said that the accused had killed his brother because he had refused to pay them extortion money for setting up a make-shift food stall in Rang Mahal. He said that the accused were influential in the area and enjoyed patronage of the area police. He said that the accused used to extort money from other shop keepers too. He said that the deceased had been getting life threats due to his refusal to comply with their demands.
Usman Elahi, a son of the deceased, told The Express Tribune that Adil, after killing his father, had lodged a false FIR against him and his uncle, Ehsan. He said that they had reached the police station at the same time and the police had arrested Adil on learning that his father was dead. He said that the police had kept Adil in the lock-up, however, he was allowed use of his mobile phone and to have private meetings outside the lock up with his visitors.
Usman said that a few days later whenthey went to the police station to inquire about other arrests, some of the officials, including the officer in-charge of investigation were harsh with them and told them to resolve the matter out of court.
Usman said that he believed the police had been bribed and were favouring the accused. Usman said they never went back to the police station. He said that they had a meeting with DSP Mehar Mumtaz regarding the arrest of the other accused men.
Mumtaz, he said, told him that the men had fled the country and it was impossible to trace them. He said that he told the police the supporters of the accused were still extorting money and sending it along to them but the police ignored this information. He said that Adil’s men continue to extort money.
Inspector Nasir, while talking to the Tribune, denied the charges and said that one of the accused had been already sent to jail. He acknowledged that the accused used to extort money in the area but added that after the murder that practice had stopped. Nasir said that the police were sympathetic to the family of the deceased and were trying hard to arrest the remaining suspects. He denied that any police official had pressed the family to reconcile with the accused.
Published in The Express Tribune, October 11th, 2010.