BAHAWALPUR: Multan Anti-Terrorist Court (ATC) on Thursday handed down 10-year and four-year sentenced, along with fine, to a police constable and an assistant sub-inspector (ASI), respectively, for opening fire and torturing a high court bailiff, while acquitting an inspector and a constable of the charges.

According to prosecution, a bailiff of Multan bench of the Lahore High Court (LHC) raided Karampur police station in Mailsi tehsil of Vehari district to recover some petitioners, who were illegally detained by the police.

During the raid, the Karampur police officials offered resistance, opened fire and subjected the LHC bailiff to torture.

The court took notice of the incident and on the orders of Justice Muhammad Sarfraz Dogar, an FIR (No.176/24) was registered under sections 324, 353 and 7-ATA against the police officials.

Multan ATC No 2 special judge Zulfiqar Ali, announced the judgment, handing down 10-year jail term, along with Rs500,000 fine and four-year term, along with Rs200,000 fine to Constable Tanveer and ASI Idrees, respectively.

Karampur police station SHO Inspector Nasir Mehmood and a Constable Saeed were acquitted of the charges.

ARRESTED: Burewala city police claimed to have arrested five persons, including three women, for allegedly kidnapping a man at gunpoint for ransom.

According to police, five suspect, including Tanveer, Asea, Saima and Shazia, allegedly kidnapped Ramzan for ransom and managed to flee away.

DPO Mansoor Aman, on receipt of a complaint, formed a special police team, which traced the location of the suspectsusing the latest technology, and arrested them from Lahore in a raid.

The police also recovered the kidnapped man and lodged the suspects in lock-up.

ENCOUNTERS: Two criminals were injured seriously in two separate police encounters in Lodhran district.

According to a police spokesperson, in the first encounter, a suspect, Abdullah, of Okara, allegedly involved in over 33 dacoity cases suffered serious injuries in the encounter.

He says that the suspect, along with his two unidentified accomplices, allegedly opened fire on a chasing police party in Luddan area, after snatching motorcycle from a man.

During crossfire in the limits of Daniwal police station, Abdullah suffered injuries, while his two accomplices fled away.

The police nabbed the injured suspect and got him admitted to hospital, where is condition is said to be serious.

A case was registered against Abaduallh and his fleeing accomplices.

In the second encounter, near Pull Bahashti in the limits of Galiwala police station, three unidentified motorcyclists attempted to free a theft suspect Zaheer Abbas from a police party. The police claimed that Zaheer Abbas, allegedly involved in six cases of burglary and dacoity, was injured in the firing by his accomplices when they opened fire on police.

The police claimed that the attackers, however, managed to escape under the cover of darkness, while Zaheer was shifted to hospital.

A case has been registered against the fleeing suspects.

Published in Dawn, August 2nd, 2024