Shoot-out: Bystander killed as police, suspects exchange fire

Deceased’s family blames police for the death.

RAWALPINDI:

A 20-year-old man was killed during a shoot-out between police and suspected criminals in Jhaangi in the Jabber area of Gujar Khan on Monday.

The deceased was identified as Khurram, a brick kiln worker.

A police official requesting anonymity said they had gotten a tip that proclaimed offenders were hiding out in the village.

A heavy contingent of police was called in to raid the hideout to arrest the suspects, the police official said, adding that during the raid, an exchange of fire ensued between the police and the alleged criminals.

Amid the cross fire, stray bullets hit Khurram, killing him on the spot, the police official said.

Meanwhile, parents and relatives of the deceased staged a protest outside the sub-divisional police officer Gujar Khan office by placing the body on the road. They demanded that the Punjab chief minister ordered an inquiry into the incident, which the police claimed was an encounter.

A relative of the deceased claimed that some police officials also dragged the body of the deceased on the road after assuming he was one of the suspects.

A family member of the deceased said that Khurram was working at a brick kiln in Lahore but had come home two days back to spend Ramazan with his family. He said that the alleged suspects were living in Khurram’s neighbourhood.

A doctor at Tehsil Headquarters Hospital, who carried out the postmortem, said the victim had multiple bullet wounds including in the head.

Saddar Town SP Dr Sardar Ghias, SDPO Gujar Khan and Station House Officer Gujar Khan Police Station did not answer their cell phones or office numbers when approached for comment.

Published in The Express Tribune, July 1^st, 2014.