Mob violence: Police personnel face residents’ wrath for allegedly assaulting a woman

SUKKUR:

Bello Mirpur police station SHO, an ASI and a police constable met with the residents' wrath when they allegedly broke into a house in Ghulam Abad, Mirpur Mathelo Town in district Ghotki, late on Friday night.

SHO Sanwal Bozdar, accompanied by ASI Lehno Bozdar and constable Sharbat Golato, had allegedly gone to Ghulam Abad and broken into the house of Ashiq Mirani. Subsequently, the police personnel were overpowered by the residents due to their sheer number. The residents alleged that the police officer had tried to assault Ashiq Mirani's wife, Najma.

Responding to the cries for help by the women and children, residents rushed to their rescue, captured the personnel and started beating them up. All three personnel were critically injured in the incident.

In the meantime, constable Golato managed to break free from the mob and contacted the police station to send back up. DSP Raunti Mohsin Raza Jandan reached the site accompanied by policemen and assured the residents of swift justice, after which both the personnel were released by the residents.



The injured SHO was rushed to the Combined Military Hospital in Pano Aqil while the other two personnel were shifted to Civil Hospital, Mirpur Mathelo.

An hour later, Mirpur Mathelo SHO raided the house and arrested 10 people, including a woman. On the other hand, the Bello Mirpur police station has also registered an FIR against 29 people on the charge of attacking police personnel. The accused named in the FIR include Ashiq, Mashooq, Shahnawaz, Imran, Habibullah, Mansoor, Zulfiqar, Raheem Bux, Waqar, Farman, Waheed Kamran, Muzafar, Mazhar and Azhar, among others. Najma's father, Abdul Majeed Mirani, said that the police had arrested 10 people, including Waheed, Waqar, and Zulfiqar to pressurise them to withdraw the allegations.

Meanwhile, reporters based in Mirpur Mathelo refuted the claims of the Mirani community, saying that Najma had called the Bello Mirpur Police, asking for help as she claimed her husband and in-laws wanted to kill her over the pretext of karo-kari. The police party had gone to the house to listen to her complaint when the residents caught them and started beating them up.

DSP Raunti Mohsin Raza Jandan, when contacted by The Express Tribune, could not be contacted for his version.

Published in The Express Tribune, October 19^th, 2014.