THATTA: An assistant sub-inspector (ASI) of police died in mysterious circumstances at Gharo police station on Thursday morning as the police official had suffered three shots to his chest fired from an official rifle and succumbed to serious wounds before getting medical help.

Official sources disclosed on condition of anonymity that ASI Ali Gul Chandio’s death appeared to be a cold blooded murder because the official had been under constant stress since the day he was made complainant on behalf of state in much publicised case of encounter in which two policemen were killed in exchange of fire with alleged encroachers near Gharo town.

The sources said that the ASI arrived at the police station early in the morning and went straight into store room saying that he was in a hurry as he had to collect his rifle and attend hearing of the encounter case in a local court.

Police head constable, who was present in the reporting room adjacent to the store, said that moments after the ASI went inside he and his colleagues in the police station heard three shots. When they rushed in they found him lying on the floor with blood oozing from his wounds, he said.

They immediately rushed him to local rural health centre but the official succumbed to his wounds, he said.

SHO Mumtaz Brohi termed the official’s death as mysterious and said he sustained three bullets to his chest, which caused his immediate death. The SHO has taken into custody the official rifle used in the incident.

Thatta SSP Dr Imran told media persons in Gharo that he would constitute a special team to probe the incident.

Manzoor Chandio, a police constable and cousin of the deceased ASI, cast doubts on his relative’s death and called for an independent inquiry into the incident.

The late ASI was complainant on behalf of state in the case of police encounter in which police led by SHO Mumtaz Brohi had raided a farmhouse near Gharo town a few months back. Police had claimed that they had an encounter with alleged encroachers, who had killed two of their colleagues.

The following morning police chased a now reformed criminal Sadrudin alias Sadroo Walhari and shot him dead, claiming he was the one who had killed the policemen. SHO Mumtaz Brohi had shoved his dead body in police mobile van and showed it around coastal towns, brandishing his official rifle and making victory sign, which drew sharp reaction from human rights activists.

Later, influential Palijo tribe refuted the police claim and said that Sadroo was in fact their “Kamdaar” (estate manager) and the Gharo SHO had shot him dead in a staged encounter.

Published in Dawn, January 7th, 2022