LARKANA, March 28: Sixteen policemen on Tuesday appeared in the Sindh High Court, Larkana bench, in connection with a petition filed by Jawed Ahmad Soomro of Bhando Qubo, Ratodero. The policemen included the taluka police officer of Ratodero and two SHOs.

The petitioner’s counsel said that his client and other villagers had taken out a procession on March 17 in protest against an incident in which Naila Kori had been injured by some people of the Jalbani clan.

He alleged that Ratodero TPO Ghulam Murtaza Mirani and Ghulam Abbas Chandio and Abdul Jabbar Bhutto, SHOs of Ratodero and Ketty Mumtaz police stations, along with a police party, had beaten up the protesters, injuring some of them.

He further alleged that police had entered houses in the Bhando Qubo village and looted gold ornaments, cash and household articles.

He said his client had approached the DPO and the Ratodero SHO for lodging an FIR against 17 people but the SHO had refused to register the case.

He prayed the court to direct the DPO and the Ratodero SHO for registering the FIR.

The 15 injured villagers, referred for medical check up and treatment by the court on March 21, also appeared in the court.

The policemen’s counsel sought time to file comments in the court.

The case was adjourned till April 10 when the accused policemen would submit their reply in the case.