Two sides of a story: Court orders police to release arrested woman

10 people from the Mirani tribe had been arrested for attacking and injuring three policemen

SUKKUR: The Daharki civil judge ordered the Mirpur Mathelo police on Saturday to hand over an arrested woman to her family. Police had arrested 10 people, including women, from the Mirani tribe on charges of attacking and injuring three policemen late on Friday night.

According to reports, the police produced Najma, wife of Ashiq Mirani, in the Daharki civil court to record her statement. She denied before the judge that she had made a phone call to the Bello Mirpur police station to seek help against her husband and his family, who had allegedly wanted to kill her on the pretext of karo kari. She said that she was neither declared a kari by her husband nor was her life under threat, so there would have been no need for her to call the police. She added that the SHO Bello Mirpur and other police officials broke into her residence and tried to kidnap her, but their attempt was foiled by her family and the area’s residents. After hearing her statement, the court ordered the police to hand Najma over to her family.



On Friday night, SHO Sanwal Bozdar, ASI Lehno Bozdar and constable Sharbat Golato allegedly broke into Ashiq’s house in Ghulamabad, reportedly overpowering the residents and attempting to assault Najma. The women and children called for help, leading neighbours to rush to their aid. The residents allegedly beat up and injured the policemen, holding them hostage.

According to reports, Golato managed to escape and informed his superiors, after which Raunti DSP Mohsin Raza Jandan reached the spot with a police party. He assured the residents that they would receive swift justice and they released the captive policemen. The SHO was shifted to the Combined Military Hospital, Pano Akil, while the other two were taken to Civil hospital, Mirpur Mathelo. Mirpur Mathelo SHO Rana Asif reportedly later raided the house with a heavy police contingent and arrested ten people. Meanwhile, the Bello Mirpur police registered an FIR against 29 people for attacking and injuring the policemen. Those booked include Ashiq, Mashooq, Shahnawaz, Imran, Habibullah, Mansoor, Zulfiqar, Raheem Bux, Waqar, Farman, Waheed Kamran, Muzaffar, Mazhar and Azhar.



When contacted, DSP Jandan claimed that he was on routine patrol on Friday night when he received information that a police party from the Bello Mirpur station had been taken hostage in Ghulamabad. According to him, he rushed to the area to talk to the residents and get the police officials released. He further quoted SHO Sanwal as saying that Najma had called them for help and they had therefore gone to their residence. He admitted that the police had arrested some men from the Mirani tribe, but denied arresting any women. He added that SHO Asif was investigating the matter and would submit his report within three days.

Published in The Express Tribune, October 20^th, 2014.