‘Extrajudicial’ killing: Rangers’ man remanded to police custody

Victim’s family end protest after being assured of thorough investigations.

KARACHI: A Rangers operative, accused of killing a man near Nagan Chowrangi, was sent to police custody on a two-day physical remand on Sunday. Meanwhile, the family of the deceased ended their protest after the police added a supplementary statement in the registered FIR.

The Rangers and police presented the accused, along with the murder weapon, in the city court of district Central. The court granted a two-day physical remand of the paramilitary soldier to the police. A large contingent of Rangers and police was present in the courtroom, while a lawyer of the Rangers also appeared before the judge.

Zeeshan, 30, was shot dead  in the Nagan Chowrangi area on Friday when he was engaged in a brawl with his estranged wife. An FIR No. 84/14 was registered at the New Karachi police station on behalf of the victim’s wife, Shafia, and the sections of murder by accident, kidnapping and torture were included in the FIR. The FIR was, however, rejected by the victim’s family who protested the incident and asked to register a new FIR regarding the incident.

After repeated assurances by the police, the victim’s family ended their sit-in at Nagan Chowrangi. “Our demands were justified. We just asked them to name both the Rangers personnel and Shafia in the FIR as the Rangers’ man opened fire on Zeeshan after Shafia asked him to do so,” Zeeshan’s sister told The Express Tribune. “We know that the police will try to protect the Rangers’ soldier and Shafia but we have faith in God and the courts.”

Though the police have added their supplementary statement in the FIR, they are also looking for the courts’ orders regarding the registration of a new FIR by Zeeshan’s family. “A supplementary statement has been added in the FIR and we will include Shafia in the investigation and arrest her if found guilty,” said DSP Mohammad Fayyaz, while speaking to The Express Tribune. “If the court orders a new FIR, we will have to remove the first and register a new one.”

Meanwhile, the funeral prayers of the deceased were offered near his residence in North Karachi after Zuhr prayers on Sunday. The funeral was attended by a large number of people and   he was laid to rest in Mohammad Shah graveyard in North Karachi.

Published in The Express Tribune, March 3^rd, 2014.