NAWABSHAH, Feb 2: At least seven people, including women and children, received injuries when police lobbed teargas shells and resorted to aerial firing and later baton charged a large number of people who had blocked the National Highway near Sakrand bypass protesting against the police highhandedness here on Monday.

Two of them identified as Aslam and Sajid Rajput and five others received injuries when police resorted to aerial firing and lobbed tear gas shells to disperse the crowd that had blocked the National Highway.

Earlier, hundreds of people belonging to Rajput community blocked the highway at Sakrand bypass to protest against police for raiding their houses. Besides Rajputs, bystanders also joined the protest and blocked the highway by staging a sit-in due to which vehicular traffic on the main artery linking Sindh with the rest of the upcountry remained suspended.

Farooq, Abdul Jabbar, Mohammed Aslam and Abdul Rasheed Gaggar said that the Sakrand police barged into their houses in the wee hours of Monday without any search warrants. They alleged that police severely thrashed the inmates and dragged women by pulling their hair and kicked children.

They said that they were respectable people and living peaceful life in the town and had no criminal records. They said that police were looking for Zulfiqar Rajput, saying that he was involved in a temple dacoity case and they had promised that they would produce him at the police station at 10 am on Monday but the police raided their houses in early morning.

They said that Zulfiqar was innocent and had no criminal record, however, they were ready to produce him for interrogation but the police violated the agreement.

Meanwhile, a heavy contingent of police from different police stations of the district reached on the spot and did not bother to negotiate with the protesters.

The police baton charged the protesters, resorted to shelling and firing due to which a number of protesters received injuries and bruises.

The enraged protesters also pelted stones on the police as a result of which SPO Aijaz Memon, HC Wahid Bux and two other policemen received injuries. The protesters later dispersed.

SPO Nawabshah city, Aijaz Tareen, who was also present on the spot, told Dawn that one Zulfiqar Rajput was wanted in temple dacoity case and they had approached the Rajputs to produce him at the police station on Monday. However the Rajputs, instead of keeping their commitment, took out a rally, blocked the highway and attacked police.

Sources said that police were trying to hold talks with the Rajputs for settlement of the matter. No FIR was lodged till the filing of this report.

STRIKE: A complete strike was observed in Bandhi town against police failure to control crime.

Traders of Bandhi town closed their business, took out a rally and staged a demonstration in the main market. The protesters were carrying placards and chanted slogans against increasing crime.

Their leaders Ali Bux Jamali and Dr Sagheer Arain said that thieves took away goods from then shops of Allah Bachayo Khokhar, Inayat Khokhar and Ashraf Arain a couple of days back. They said that several such incidents had taken place earlier. However, police have completely failed to control crime or arrest culprits.

SPO Daur reached on the spot and assured the protesters that the culprits would be arrested and goods would be recovered within 24 hours after which they dispersed.

RALLY: Activists of PPP-SB took out a rally and staged a demonstration against load shedding and lawlessness opposite the local press club on Monday.

The rally started from PPP-SB office and after passing on thoroughfares, ended at press club. The protesters were carrying placards and banners and were chanting slogans against Hesco and police.

Akbar Sodhar, Chief organiser, Ali Sher, Sadiq Chandio and Ghulam Sarwar said that there was lawlessness, loadshedding and joblessness and corruption in the district.

They said that rulers were not fulfilling their promises and the people were facing difficulties. They demanded control on crime, an end to loadshedding and jobs for youth.