LARKANA, Feb 23: Ten policemen were arrested on Wednesday following investigations into the Qambar incident in which four people were killed in police firing on Dec 24, 2004.

Talking Dawn here on Wednesday, Larkana DIGP Mohammad Ramzan Channa said the policemen arrested were SI Ashraf Lashari, ASI Khadim Magsi and constables Haidar Bakhsh Shahani, Muharram Ali Taggar, Riaz Ahmad Kalhoro, Mohammad Soomar Panhwar, Nabi Bakhsh Magsi, Sanaullah Siyal, Muzaffar Chandio and Shahmir Magsi.

A police source said the policemen had surrendered before the investigation DPO, Shahdadkot, on Wednesday morning. The DIGP said two nominated policemen, Mirokhan police station SHO Ghulam Haider Brohi and Deedar Ali, were absconding.

It was learnt that the investigation officer, former Dadu DPO Javed Ahmad Odho, exonerated two TPOs, Sahib Shah and Ghulam Abbas Gadhi, and two SHOs, Syed Jani Shah and Abdul Hakim Bullo, in the case registered by Ghulam Umar Magsi, father of one of the deceased, Madad Ali Magsi.

When contacted, Shahdadkot DPO Ghulam Haider Abro said charge sheet against the arrested policemen would be presented in the court under sections 337-H2, 220 and 319, PPC, which were bailable.

He said the policemen would be produced in the court of the judicial magistrate of Qambar on Thursday for seeking their remand. The investigation team has submitted its report at the IGP's office.

STRIKE: On a call of the Citizens' Action Committee for a three-day strike, a complete shutter-down strike was observed in Qambar on Wednesday for declaring Qambar a district.

A large number of people took out a procession which reached at the Chowk-I Shuhda. Students and teachers boycotted classes and joined the protest. The protestors also burnt tyres.

Police remained confined to the police station. Speaking on the occasion, action committee chairman Bhao Dur Mohammad Buriro, Hafeez Hakiro, Nazeer Tunio and others criticized the Sindh government for its indifferent attitude towards the protest of the Qambar people.

They also criticized the exoneration of four police officials in the case by the investigation officer. They demanded arrest of TPOs of Qambar and Larkana and SHOs of Syed the taluka police station and the Shahdadkot police station, who were exonerated.

They said they would continue their protest till acceptance of their demands. Before dispersing, the protesters held a mock hanging of police officers involved in killing of four people.

MEDICAL TEAM: Following the death of three children of some mysterious disease near the Akil village on Tuesday, district health officials asked the principal of the Chandka Medical College to send a team of paediatricians to the village.

Niaz Ahmad Abro and Imdad Shaikh of the Shehri Ittehad had approached the health EDO's office for sending a team of doctors to the village on Wednesday. The district officer, health, Dr Khalil Katpar, told Dawn that the team would visit the village and ascertain the cause of the deaths. He added that the health office would undertake preventive measures after receiving the team's report.

PPP: A People's Party Parliamentarians leader has alleged that not only the sacked Sindh revenue minister but the chief minister is also involved in corruption and predicted that the provincial coalition will not last long.

In a press statement, the district information secretary of the PPP, Asghar Shaikh, said that the chief minister and Imtiaz Shaikh were themselves indicating towards corruption on high level.