SUKKUR: A large number of enraged people blocked sections of the National Highway in Jacobabad district and Tangwani against killing of a young man by police.

In Jacobabad, a large number of people belonging to the Jakhrani community placed the body of the youth at the Jacobabad bypass and staged a demonstration against police for killing the youth allegedly in a fake encounter.

According to detail, police arrested Niaz, son of Dur Muhammad (Gulwani) Jakhrani, a resident of Dadpur Jagir, from the Tower area within the limits of Abad police station. The accused was injured.

The wounded alleged criminal was brought at the Civil Hospital Jacobabad where he succumbed to the wounds during treatment.

When early in the morning the bereaved family came to know about the death of the youth, a large number of men and women belonging to the Jakhrani community reached the hospital and staged a demonstration.

The demonstrators raised charged slogans against district police, accusing them of killing an innocent villager.

The body of the alleged criminal was handed over to the protesters after completion of medico-legal formalities.

The protesters stopped the ambulance carrying the body in the middle of the National Highway at the Jacobabad bypass and blocked both sides of the road.

The enraged protesters set old tyres and junk on fires and protested against police injustice and atrocities.

On this occasion, Altaf, Gulvish, Mumtaz, Allah Dino, Musmat Azima Jakrani and others told local journalists that the other day police officials of the city police station arrested their man from the city area and locked him up at the station.

When they reached the city police station, police promised to release the youth soon after taking Rs50,000, they said, adding but today (Wednesday) police claimed killing him in an encounter.

The enraged protesters refused to the end their demonstration unless justice was done in that regard.

After several hours of sit-in, a local elder, Sardarzada Shafqat Hussain Jakrani, reached the site and persuaded the protesters who end their sit-in and open the road for vehicles.

Talking to reporters, Sardarzada Jakrani said that Jacobabad police had arrested the youth during checking and killed him. He was innocent and not a criminal, he added.

He appealed to the Larkana Range DIG and other higher authorities to take notice of the incident and provide justice to the bereaved family.

In a statement issued by the police, SSP Syed Saleem Shah said the deceased, Niaz Jakrani, along with his accomplices, was planning to commit crime in an area within the limits of the Abad police station late last night.

As they [criminals] saw police, they opened fire on them. When the policemen retaliated the fire, Niaz Jakhrani got injured and police arrested him, but his other accomplices fled, he added.

According to the statement, the deceased was wanted by different police stations of Jacobabad in various crimes cases.

Meanwhile, a case of police encounter was lodged on the complaint of the state at Abad police station.

Published in Dawn, September 5th, 2024