05 February 2004	Thursday	13 Zilhaj 1424

GUJRAT, Feb 4: A patwari was shot dead while three others were injured by land grabbers on the Jalalpur Jattan Road in Bagh Bawa, which forms UC-53 and the native constituency of the Chaudhrys.

According to information gleaned by this correspondent, the land grabbers, who allegedly belonged to the ruling PML-Q, had occupied 80 kanals of state land on the Jalalpur Jattan Road and turned it into a no-go area.

Some boys of the Bagh Bawa locality were beaten up by the land grabbers when they entered the area in a bid to catch a stray kite on the Eid day. They complained the matter to their families.

The locals marched towards the no-go area where the land grabbers opened fire on them. Patwari Raja Amir Iqbal died on the spot while Fazeela Akram, Shakeel and Nisar sustained injuries.

After the incident, more residents joined the protesters and started chanting slogans against the land grabbers and police as well as the politicians patronizing the Qabza Group. They first encircled the Civil Lines Police Station and then marched to Katchery Chowk where they ransacked three shops of an alleged land grabber and set a motorcycle ablaze.

Later, they assembled at the Zahoor House to highlight the incident. A heavy contingent of police reached the place and dispersed them.

The slain patwari, Raja Amir, was the son of PPP's Raja Iqbal of UC-53.

A delegation of Bagh Bawa locality met Chief Minister Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi at the Zahoor House and informed him about the incident. The chief minister assured the delegates that stern action would be taken against those responsible for the incident and no one permitted to occupy government property.

The Civil Lines police have registered a case against Wasif alias Baga of Gandhra, Haider Shah, Ilyas Shah and six others on charges of killing the patwari and injuring three others. The police have intensified patrolling to avert any untoward incident.

A source said that B-Division police had registered a case against three nominated and 100 unidentified protesters for creating a law and order situation, but the police denied doing so.

Funeral prayers for the slain were offered amid tight security arrangements.

A source said that a heavy contingent of police had been deployed at the occupied property near Katchery Chowk.