NAWABSHAH: The camel mutilation case took a dramatic turn on Saturday when the animal’s owner disclosed before the court of judicial magistrate in Sanghar that the main suspect in the case was local landlord but police were not ready to lay hands on him.

Soomar Behan, owner of the eight-month-old female camel whose right leg was chopped off allegedly by the landlord in Mund Jamrao in Sanghar district on June 15 as punishment for foraging into his farmland, appeared before the judicial magistrate Habibullah Siyal along with his counsel Ayaz Khaskheli and told the court that the main suspect in the case was the landlord, Ghulam Rasool Shar, but police were trying to save him.

He said that he became disappointed and confined himself to home after police refused to nominate the main suspect, Ghulam Rasool Shar, in the case and instead implicated some peasants in the crime.

He disclosed that even the statement attributed to him, which police had submitted to the court, was forged as he had never given any written statement to police.

After hearing Soomar out, the court directed him to record his statement under section 162 at Mangli police station.

Behan’s counsel, Ayaz Khaskheli, told reporters that they would approach Mangli police to have the statement recorded as directed by the court.

The police had earlier arrested six suspects in the case identified as Rustam Shar, Abid Shar, Jaffar Jatt, Abdul Shakoor Shar, Gul Baig Lashari and Darya Khan Shar and produced them in the court after completion of four-day remand.

The police requested further extension in the remand on the basis of alleged recovery of a pistol and bullets from one of the suspects Abid Shar and registration of another case against him.

The court, however, rejected the police request for extension in police custody of the suspects and remanded them in judicial custody before adjourning the case to June 27.

The incident took place in Mund Jamrao area, Sanghar district, on June 15, Friday, when the landlord allegedly mutilated the camel’s leg as punishment for foraging into his field for fodder.

Sanghar police contacted owner of the mutilated camel after the news went viral on social media, and claimed Behan had refused to identify the culprit and press charges against him.

Hence, police had to lodge an FIR on behalf of the state against six unknown persons under Sections 429 (Mischief by killing or maiming cattle) and 34 (common intention) of the Pakistan Penal Code (PPC), they said.

The eight-month-old female camel was transported to animal shelter in Malir, Karachi, named Comprehen-sive Disaster Management Services after the governor, chief minister and animal rights organisations intervened.

The animal, which had been named Cammie by her new caretakers, was being treated and efforts were under way to arrange a prosthetic leg for her.

IO rejects Behan’s disclosures

Investigation Officer Shamuddin Shar rejected Behan’s disclosures and told media persons that the incident took place on June 13 and police reached the crime scene the following day on 14th.

He said the camel’s owner had handed them a written statement that day saying that he did not want to be a complainant in the case. He also recorded a video statement which was part of police’s case documents, he said.

He said the court had verbally asked Behan to have his statement recorded under Section 162 but police had not yet received any written orders from the court. However, despite court’s directives Behan had not appeared in the police station to have his statement recorded, he said.

He said the investigation was under way and all the suspects involved in the crime would be brought to justice.

Published in Dawn, June 23rd, 2024