HYDERABAD, Aug 4: Demo-nstrations for and against Mannu Bheel were held simultaneously outside the local press club on Monday in the wake of registration of an FIR against Mannu on a complaint lodged by a hari woman, Meena, who accused him of sexual assault.

Meena with several other hari women and children held the demonstration, demanding arrest of Mannu and his companions, named by her in the FIR, which she had lodged at Tandojam police station after obtaining a court order from additional district judge-I of Hyderabad.She alleged that the accused continued to harass her and rejected allegations that she was maligning Mannu at the behest of Abdul Rehman Marri, a powerful landlord of Sanghar and prime accused in the kidnapping case of nine family members of Mannu.

She claimed that Mannu had been forcing her for past one year into marriage. When she finally refused he barged into her house in Usman Sipyo village on July 9 with the co-accused and tried to molest her, she said

She said that she had got the case lodged under the directives of sessions’ court but police had not so far made any arrests.

Gianchand, one of the co-accused in the FIR, also brought a group hari women and children who staged a demonstration outside the press club, demanding recovery of hostages and withdrawal of what they said the fake FIR against Mannu and others.

Gianchand distributed a two-paged application, which he said had been sent to the president, the prime minister, the chief justices of Pakistan and Sindh High Court, the chief minister and police authorities.

Mannu said that his family members were kidnapped by Abdul Rehman Marri who was supported by Dr. Haider, Qamar Sheikh, Shirimati Rajo, Meena, Shirimati Ashoo, Nagji, Natho and others who were after him and his well-wishers Bhoro Chansi, Soomar Bheel, Ghulam Hussain Malookani Lakhi Kolhi, Ramoon, Gianchand and Nanji, said the application.

Mannu said that he and his well-wishers had been implicated in the false case based on a concocted story to pressurise them to withdraw the case against Rehman.