April 21, 2002	Sunday	Safar 7, 1423

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TOBA TEK SINGH, April 20: An ASI, a constable, several other people, including teachers, were injured on Saturday in a clash between police and the demonstrators at Arrouti, some 50 km from here.

Initially, the dispute occurred between students of the Government High School, Mouza Nawab Bhooti, and a wagon crew on Friday. The students thrashed the wagon crew when they refused them any seat. The crew reported the matter to Arrouti police who arrested the students from the school, but their colleagues got them released from police custody. After a while, SHO along with a heavy police contingent came to the school and tortured students, teachers Haji Rasool, Qari Jan Muhammad and headmaster Liaquat Ali. Later, they were taken to the police station where they were further tortured.

On Saturday, hundreds of people of nearby villages reached Arrouti and demonstrated against the police excesses. Police baton charged and used teargas to disperse them. The protesters also threw stones on the police, injuring an ASI and a constable. The police also tortured some shopkeepers.

The area people informed the district Nazim who sent DEO Chaudhry Sarwar to control the situation, but the shopkeepers went on a complete strike.