Teenagers’ fight: Police start inquiry against SSP after son is booked for murder

SA's condition is out of danger, police investigators hope to record his statement soon.

KARACHI:

The police department has decided to initiate legal action against Sakrand Training Centre SSP Ghulam Sarwar Abro after his son was booked for murder.

Abro's teenage son, SA, took five police constables to another teenager, SL's, house on Khayaban-e-Shamsheer in DHA to settle a dispute on Thursday, which turned violent and resulted in the death of SL. Based on the initial reports, the police officials have asked their superiors to take action against Abro for misusing state resources.

SL, 18, was studying for his Cambridge examinations when he was killed. One of Abro's police constables, Zaheer Ahmed, was also killed while SA, who was also shot, is critically injured and admitted at Ziauddin Hospital.

The presence of the policemen with Abro's son has disturbed the police ranks. "Why were the gunmen with his son?" DIG Khalique Shaikh questioned, while talking to The Express Tribune. "I think the authorities, such as the IGP, the chief secretary and the chief minister, will most likely take action against SSP Abro."

An inquiry team has been constituted to investigate SSP Abro and will submit its report within three days.

For his part, SSP Abro complained that no one tried to get their side of the story. "Everyone is blaming me and my son because I am a police officer," he told The Express Tribune, before saying he has resigned to his fate. "Just tell me which father will tell his son to go and kill someone." He even threatened to resign from the police department.

According to Abro, there was a brawl between the two boys at Café Clifton an hour before the killing. "My son was scared and was going home with the guards when SL insisted on negotiations," he said, adding that SL and his guards started firing at them when they reached the house.

Meanwhile, SL's family holds SSP Abro responsible. "This is all because his [SA's] father has given his son a freehand," complained the deceased boy's brother, Zeeshan Lashari. "If he did not allow him to roam around with guards and guns, we would not have lost our brother."

Zeeshan urged the department to hold Abro accountable and punish him to avoid such incidents in the future. "Such incidents are happening here constantly," he said. "This is a serious issue and there is a need to do something to stop such incidents."

Investigations

SA, the main accused in the case, has yet to record his statement. "It is not the right time to say anything," said investigating officer Mobin, adding that they are investigating the case thoroughly and do not want to give any premature statements. "Those who could have narrated what actually happened are either dead or injured."

According to Mobin, they cannot rely on the statements they have recorded so far from the families and the arrested constables. "There are confusions as everyone is defending themselves," he said.

The incident occurred outside SL's house, said DSP Azam Baloch. "The crime scene suggested that Abro's son and the police constables arrived at SL's house and knocked on the door first," he said. One of the Lashari's guards opened the gate. "As soon as SL, his brother and other guards came outside the house, the police guards opened fire." DSP Baloch admitted it is not yet clear if SA opened fire or not.

The officer said that SA's condition is out of danger and the police will record his statement as soon as possible. Meanwhile, the investigators have also collected empty shells of a sub-machine gun, a repeater and a 9mm pistol from the crime scene and sent them to the forensic division for analysis.

ATC sends booked policemen on remand till May 15

An anti-terrorism court (ATC) sent on Friday four police officials on physical-custody remand for their alleged involvement in the murder case of an 18-year-old boy in DHA.

The ATC-III remanded the police constables -Imran Ali, Yasin Jamali, Rashid and Maqbool - till May 15 after they were produced before the court. Their fifth colleague died in the fight on Thursday. The five constables had accompanied a teenager, SA, as he went to SL's house to settle an argument and opened fire at the latter, who died on the spot. The district public prosecutor, Abdul Maroof, said that the main suspect, SA, was not sent on physical remand as his appearance before the court is mandatory for the remand. A case No.235/14, under sections 302 (premeditated murder), 324 (attempted murder) and 427 (mischief causing damage), 109 (abetment), 34 (common intention) of the Pakistan Penal Code read with section 7 of the Anti-Terrorism Act, 1997, was lodged at Darakhshan police station.


Published in The Express Tribune, May 10^th, 2014.