Hundreds of locals from Shahdara and Cavalry Ground area lodged massive protests against the police over alleged murder of two men by the police in different incidents on Tuesday.
In Shahdara, 35-years-old Muhammad Arshad, a resident Shakar Garh Area, was allegedly killed by the police in cross-firing with the robbers while a Nasir Mehmood was injured.
Per details, Mujahid Squad officials deputed at police check post on Ravi Toll Plaza were performing routine checking when they signalled a passenger van to stop. A passenger of the van tried to escape with his accomplice and was chased by the police; meanwhile the two groups also exchanged fire.
The men ran and hid in an empty house in the Farrukh Abad residential area and Shahdara Police also reached the spot and cordoned the area off. The exchange of fire continued.
During the cross-firing, Muhammad Arshad, who ran a sanitary shop and was standing there, received bullet injuries along with another local Nasir Mehmood. Arshad died instantly whereas locals shifted Nasir to Mayo Hospital where doctors pronounced him as stable. Meanwhile the two men, identified as robbers Shahid and Javed were also arrested and three pistols were recovered from their possession.
Only about two hours after the mishap, dozens of locals lodged protest against Shahdara and Mujahid Squad Police after placing Arsahd’s body in Farrukh Abad Chowk. Protestors chanted anti-police slogans.
However top cops of City Division Police including DSP Shahdara Nasir Mehmood reached the locality where policemen reportedly baton charged the protestors in order to disburse them. Locals of the area claimed that several protestors received injuries due to the charge and the police forcibly took the body of the deceased. They also claimed that the robbers had not even fired a single shot.
Shahdara Police Station SHO Maqsood Gujjar while talking to Pakistan Today claimed that Muhammad Arshad had died at the robbers’ hands. He said even the family of deceased Muhammad Arshad agreed and a case has been registered against the robbers under sections 302,393/34,353,186 and 324 on the complaint of deceased’s brother-in-law namely Mushtaq Khan.
Shahdara Police DSP Nasir Mehmood said it could not be ascertained whose fire had killed Arshad and an enquiry would be held, adding that the protesters were not baton charged.
Meanwhile in another incident, locals of Madina Colony also lodged massive protest at Cavalry Ground Chowk over the alleged murder of 28-year-old Muhammad Yasir at the hands of the police.
Around two hundred protestors including family members, relatives and locals of Madina Colony kept Cavalry Ground Chowk blocked for about two hours and demanded detailed enquiry.
Protestor chanted slogans against Barki Police and alleged that the deceased was either killed by police in an alleged shootout or the police knew who had killed him.
Shahid, a cousin of deceased Muhammad Yasir, said Yasir left his home on Monday with his wife and dropped her at Services Hospital. He said at about 3 pm, Yasir’s colleagues informed his father that some policemen from Barki Police wanted them to identify a dead body.
He said his uncle Barkat contacted Barki Police, who informed him that a dead body had been recovered on the BRB Canal bank riddled with three bullets. He said Barkat along with few other relatives reached Barki Police Station and came to know that his son was murdered. He said according to police a driver of a tractor trolley saw the body and later informed the local police. He said initially Barki Police claimed that the deceased was killed by some unidentified men, adding that Yasir did not have any enemies.
Iram, Yasir’s sister, claimed that the police had killed her brother and had labelled him a robber to justify their act.
Barkat, deceased’s father, said he did not want to blame the police but he was sure that they knew who had killed him. Some other locals of Madina Colony said Yasir was innocent and was never involved in any misdemeanour.
Meanwhile heavy contingent of police under of Barki DSP Malik Ijaz Ahmed reached Cavalry Ground and ensured the residents that an enquiry would be held. Yasir was laid to rest in a local graveyard.
