DADU, June 27: A large number of union council members and PPP activists held a demonstration in Radhan on fourth consecutive day on Friday against arrest of a union council Nazim and three PPP workers on the charges of buffalo theft and cattle grazing in land of a federal minister.

Speaking on the occasion, Dr Talat Mahesar said that New Goth union council Nazim Tufail Ahmed Lakhair and the People’s Party Parliamentarian workers were being forced to change their loyalty by federal production and industries Liaquat Ali Jatoi.

He warned that if the arrested persons were not released and the alleged victimization did not stop, they would launch a movement.

Earlier, a police party, led by Dadu DPO (investigation) Tipu Sultan laid a siege to Gharo village, Mehar taluka, and picked up Mr Ahmed with the general secretary, PPP, New Goth UC, Shaiq-ur- Rehman Lakhair, Aqil Sargani and Ali Mohammad Sargani following registration of a case against nine persons including those arrested on the complaint of Toto Machhi, state manager of Mr Jatoi under sections 147, 148, 149 and 427, PPC, and 324, Qisas and Diyat Ordinance.

According to the uncle of the UC Nazim, Dr Mehrab Lakhair, Mr Toto took away a buffalo of Mr Ahmed six days back, saying it was grazing in the minister’s land. When the Nazim requested Mr Toto to return the buffalo, he asked him to first join the Pakistan Muslim League-Q, threatening otherwise fake cases would be registered against him.

Dr Mehrab said that on his complaint, the Vehar police recovered the buffalo and arrested Mr Toto and Mashooq Machhi. However, he added, the federal minister got them released the same day and an FIR of buffalo theft and illegal cattle grazing was registered with the New Goth police station against Mr Ahmed and PPP activists, Shaiq, Tanveer Ahmed, Qurban Lakhair, Sikandar, Zafar, Sabir, Zahid, Ali Mohammad, and Mohammad Aqil Gurmani.

When contacted, Dadu District Nazim Dadu Malik Asad Sikandar alleged that the New Goth police on the directives of the minister registered a fake FIR against the UC Nazim and the PPP workers, adding that a junior officer was appointed as DPO investigation on his directives.

He said that he had sent a complaint against the DPO to the president, the prime minister and the Sindh chief minister.

Meanwhile the New Goth police obtained remand of the accused till July 6.