Hundreds protest extra-judicial killings

Hundreds of residents of D-Type Colony and Khurarianwal staged a protest against Samanabad police

FAISALABAD:

Hundreds of residents of D-Type Colony and Khurarianwala on Wednesday staged a protest demonstration against Samanabad police for killing two men in what they called a fake encounter.

The protesters first blocked PMC Chowk, stopping at Sargodha-Faisalabad Road. Later, they moved to Zila Council Chowk and protested at the city district government secretariat.

Talking to newsmen, Sakhawat Ali, one of the protesters, said Factory Area police had arrested his brother Maulvi Babar alias Babri on suspicion of robbery.

“Later, they told me that he had been killed by Samanabad police during an escape bid,” he said.

Ali said, “Sub Inspector Liaqat claims that his team was taking Babar and Bilawal for recovery of some stolen items on Monday night when they were attacked by five men who freed Babar and Bilawal.

“Later Samanabad police killed Babar and Bilawal when they were fleeing after snatching a motorcycle from a citizen near Jawala Nagar Railway Phatak,” he added.

“How were they allowed to escape and commit more crimes then killed in a space of a few hours?” he said.

“Why did police not chase them when they were fleeing?” he said.

The protesters put the bodies at PMC Chowk and blocked it for traffic.

On receipt of information, Muhammad Akhtar, a representative of City Police Officer (CPO), rushed the scene and pacified the protestors by assuring them that action would be taken against those officials found to be involved in staging a fake encounter.

The protesters called off their protest on this assurance.

CPO Sohail Habib Tajik told The Express Tribune that Babar and Balawal were proclaimed offenders and were wanted in a number of murder and robbery cases. He said their gang had attacked policemen when they were taking them to recover stolen goods.

“They ran into a Samanabad police team after escaping from Factory Area and were shot and killed in a shootout there,” he said.

“They were fleeing after snatching a motorbike from a citizen when they were stopped,” he said.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 27^th, 2014.