Police claim to have killed: Hindu siblings’ murderer, complainants cry foul

Members of Hindu community claim police are deliberately misleading the investigation.

HYDERABAD:

The police encounter in Mirpurkhas of two suspected criminals, one of whom had allegedly killed two Hindu brothers in Umerkot in July, has only added to the feelings of distrust of the locals. While the family of the slain Umerkot traders have termed the encounter an attempt to put off the case, relatives of the slain suspects claim the two were killed a day after their arrest.

The suspects Obhayo Nahri, a former police official, and Muhammad Umar Laghari, were shot dead late on Monday night, around 10 kilometers off Naukot town in Mirpurkhas district.

Mirpurkhas DIG Amin Yousufzai addressed a press conference along with Mirpurkhas SSP Jam Zafarullah Dharejo and Umerkot SSP Abdul Qayum Pitafi after the encounter on Tuesday. He said that the police received information that Nahri, along with other suspected criminals, was present at a location near Naukot.

"When the police party reached there, the suspects opened fire in an attempt to escape. Two of them were killed in the exchange of fire and two other unknown suspects escaped," he claimed. A Kalashnikov, a pistol and ammunition were seized from their possession.

The DIG denied that the slain persons were arrested a day or two before their encounter. Nahri, he said, was appointed as a police constable in 2006 but he soon left the job and got involved in crimes of kidnapping for ransom. He was nominated in 23 FIRs registered at various police stations of different districts.

"Nahri was also involved in the killings of the two Hindu brothers in Umerkot," he maintained.

In 2010, he added, Nahri had killed two traders, Iqbal Qureshi and Muhammad Akram Qureshi, in Mirpurkhas, kidnapped Abdul Ghafar Memon from Mirpurkhas, Vinesh Kumar and Ghanu Malh from Tando Muahmmad Khan and Khushhal Das from Umerkot.

The DIG even claimed that Saleh Daudani and Dr Zuhabi Memon, who were kidnapped from Tando Allahyar and Hyderabad, respectively, are also in captivity of Nahri's gang.

Hindu Family

"The Umerkot SSP and other police officials are trying to save the real culprits," alleged Suresh Kumar, a brother of 45-year-old Heera Lal Malhi and 32-year-old Ashok Kumar Malhi who were shot dead in Umerkot.

He claimed that the family had no reason to believe that Nahri had killed his brothers. "Even the eye-witnesses who saw the murderer didn't identify him as the killer." Suresh blamed the police for deliberately misleading the investigation.

In view of the sensitivity of the case, the chief minister has assigned Hyderabad Range DIG, Dr Sanaullah Abbassi, to investigate the case.

"The complainants expressed their mistrust and dissatisfaction with regards to Umerkot SSP and the local police," stated the DIG's enquiry report, submitted on August 19. "The local police are guilty of inefficiency." The DIG also recommended to transfer the district's SSP. But he has still not been removed.

Suspects' Families

Laghari's cousin, Ashraf Laghari, told reporters that the deceased owned eight acres of agricultural land. "He was a farmer who worked in the fields to support his family. There is no criminal record against him and he was never taken to the police station even once," he claimed.

According to him, Laghari was acquainted with Nahri from the time when the latter served in the police. "He had gone to meet Nahri in Mehran Colony the day they were arrested."

Abbas Nahri, an uncle of Obhayo, also said that his nephew was arrested from Mehran Colony and later killed in a fake encounter. "If he was a criminal and there are dozens of cases registered against him, then he should have been taken to the court."

The killings have sparked an outcry from the Hindu community which complained of systematic harassment and, consequent, migration. Commercial activities in Umerkot and its adjoining districts were suspended for two to three days to mourn the deceased.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 11^th, 2014.