HARIPUR: The residents of Mohalla Rasheed Abad blocked the busy GT road here on Friday for over two hours against the local police for delaying registration of a case against a policeman and his accomplices for manhandling locals.

A complainant Mohammad Iqbal, resident of the said locality, told reporters that he along with his son, Javed Iqbal, was on way back home after offering evening prayers on Thursday when Ghulab Khan, his son Khubab Khan, a head constable in the city police station, along with their accomplices beat them up and also resorted to fire.

He said the attackers injured them using firearms and blunt weapons, and when they went to the city police station for lodging FIR the police used delaying tactics, which triggered the protest by the locals.

The protesters chanted against the relevant SHO and DSP headquarters for supporting their subordinate official.

However, after negotiations and registration of FIR against the accused, the protesters dispersed.

The injured were treated at the DHQ hospital, while one of them identified as Abid was referred to Ayub Medical Complex Abbottabad in critical condition.

Meanwhile, DPO Haripur Syed Khalid Hamdani suspended head constable Khubab, and transferred him to police lines as punishment.

MAN ACQUITTED IN DRUG CASE: Additional sessions judge-IV, Haripur, Iftikhar Elahi on Friday acquitted an accused charged under section 9 of Control of Narcotics Substance Act when the prosecution failed to prove its case.

Hafiz Kala Khan, counsel for the accused, said according to the prosecution record, Kotnajibullah police had arrested Liaqat of village Panian on March 31, 2017 for possessing five kilogramme of charas.

The police had registered criminal case against him and he was under trial for 14 months.

Published in Dawn, May 19th, 2018