SWABI: Police on Friday used teargas and batons to disperse people, who had blocked the Chota Lahor-Yar Hussain Road by placing the body of a man who, they alleged, was killed by the police earlier in the day for committing a robbery.

The protesters were demanding registration of FIR against the police.

Later, the protesters took the body for autopsy to the Yar Hussain Civil Hospital, and planned to march from there to the Yar Hussain police station.

However, when the police came to know about their intention, they came to the spot, opened firing in the air and also used batons to disperse them.

Police use teargas to disperse protesters

District police officer Mohammad Shoaib Khan said the deceased identified as Kamran Khan had deprived a truck driver from Darra Adamkhel of Rs33,000 cash at gunpoint. He said the driver had got registered an FIR against him in Yar Hussain police station.

He said when the traffic police tried to stop the suspect near the bus stop he opened fire on them. Later, he added the Yar Hussain police led by SHO Abdul Wali Khan raided his house. “At seeing the policemen, the suspect opened fire on them.

The policemen had to open fire in the self-defence, in which the suspect was killed.

However, Faiz Mohammad, father of the deceased, told mediapersons that his son was killed by the police despite the fact that he was mentally-disturbed. He said his medical report had already been submitted to the Yar Hussain police station. He alleged that the SHO Yar Hussain had warned the family that the man would be killed today (Friday).

Other members of the deceased’s family claimed that five mobile vans of police encircled the deceased and then opened fire on him. They claimed that policemen stood around the injured man till he succumbed to injuries and did not allow anyone to take him to hospital.

Meanwhile, unidentified assailants shot dead a man in Dodher village on Friday.

SHO Zaida police station identified the deceased as Gul Bahadar. He said reason behind the killing and identity of the attackers were not known. However, he said the police had registered an FIR.

Published in Dawn, March 12th, 2022