At least 20 policemen, including the local SHO and a returning officer (civil judge), were injured by a unruly mob of the armed activists allegedly belonging to the PML-N during a protest rally in Nikayal town of Kotli district on Tuesday, police said.
Muhammad Shabir Chaudhry, returning officer of the constituency LA-9 (Nikayal) and SHO Nikayal Police Station Mirza Maqsood Ahmed were among the injured, Superintendent Police Kotli Irfan Masood Kashfi told APP on telephone from Nikayal, the home town of PML-N leader and former AJK prime minister Sardar Sikandar Hayat Khan Tuesday evening. The mob also set ablaze the official vehicle of the returning officer by setting on fire and damaging some official buildings in the sub division court premises besides ransacking the shops and business centres belonging to political opponents in the town, the SP said, adding that the law enforcers brought into control by the afternoon.
He said the PML-N had announced to hold a peaceful protest rally against the alleged rigging in the constituency in June 26 polls which led to the defeat of the part candidate Sardar Farooq Sikandar, son of Sikandar Hayat Khan, at the hands of Javed Badanvi of the PPP. He informed that the PML-N workers turned violent and attacked the businesses of the rival groups. Later at around 12:30 pm, the mob rushed to the court premises where they set on fire public equipment as well as the official vehicle of the returning officer besides attacking the two aforementioned officers.
They also pelted the officials and policemen with stones and bricks.