BAHAWALPUR: A minor boy was killed while five police officials, including a station house officer, suffered critical injuries during a clash between the police and locals here on Friday night. Locals had pelted the police force with stones and bricks and blocked the national Bahawalpur-Multan highway at Basti Nizamabad within the jurisdiction of Saddar police station near Jawad Cotton Factory in Lodhran district. After several hours, a heavy police contingent led by Lodhran DPO Hissam Iqbal dislodged the unruly mob, got the highway cleared and restored traffic. Hundreds of vehicles stranded on the highway resumed their journey after midnight. According to PRO Khan Bahadur of Lodhran DPO, the police party led by Saddar SHO Muzamil Khan carried out a late night raid on the residence of a notorious drug pusher Javed.They arrested him and recovered 1.5 kilograms of charas from his possession.
During the operation, around 40 locals attempted to free the suspect from police custody. However, the police party thwarted their attempt and successfully moved the suspect to the lock-up. The PRO stated in a press release that later a large number of people blocked the Multan highway. A contingent was dispatched to clear the road. Around 250 men, some of them armed, allegedly attacked the police party and pelted them with stones and bricks. This led to severe injuries to SHO Muzamil, ASIs Saif, Zafar Iqbal and Nazar Hussain, along with constable Briar Haider. The PRO accused the rioters of opening fire and alleged that due to the attackers’ gunfire, Rehmatullah suffered serious injuries and died later. The press release said the DPO along with a heavy police contingent arrived at the scene. After an operation, the road was cleared, and the injured were shifted to the DHQ Hospital.
The PRO stated that criminal cases against the alleged rioters would be registered with Lodhran Saddar police and their arrests would be made accordingly. PHYSICAL REMAND: A local court on Saturday granted the anti-corruption establishment (ACE) a three-day physical remand of IUB former director of IT Rizwan Majeed. He was arrested on corruption charges the other day. The Bahawalpur ACE has registered a first information report under sections 471, 420, 468, 409 of Pakistan Penal Code and others against Rizwan. According to the FIR, Rizwan Majeed was illegally appointed as the IT director through fraudulent practices. An ACE official stated that some other IUB staffers might also be held accountable after an inquiry into their alleged involvement in corruption.
(Daily Dawn)
****************