MIRPURKHAS, Oct 23: A case has been registered against the Deputy Inspector-General of Police, Mirpurkhas, Saleemullah Khan, who had been suspended on Sunday. The case against him and a number of other police personnel was lodged with the Town Police on the directive of the Provincial Police Officer, Sindh, on Monday.

The development is said to be the outcome of a row among the former DPO of Mirpurkhas, Abdul Hadi Billo, and the current DPO, Abdullah Shaikh, and the DIG of Mirpurkhas.

In a bid to end the ongoing row, Abdul Hadi Billo was transferred to Badin and Abdullah Shaikh was posted as the DPO of Mirpurkhas but the conflict continued which badly affected the working of police in the district.

Police were divided into two groups, as a result of which crime graph has registered a rise.

Police officers had been working in an atmosphere of fear as some of them were suspended while others opted to go on long leave.

The rift intensified a few weeks ago when a team of DPO of Mirpurkhas raided a place in Khari Quarters which belonged to Inspector Shahid Bajwa, who was reportedly working as an assistant to the DIG.

The raiding team declared arrest of 13 people as a result of the raid on a gambling den.

Police sources said that the PPO of Sindh, Jehangir Mirza, had sent a letter to the DIG of Mirpurkhas directing him not to leave the headquarters without prior permission of the competent authority.

Sources added that the DIG called the SHO of the Town Police station, Nazar Mohammad Panhwar, and ordered him in writing to lodge a case under section 342, 220, 218 and 500 of the PPC against the PPO of Sindh, Jehangir Mirza for detaining him illegally by writing the letter.

Sources said that the SHO refused to register the case and the DIG verbally ordered suspension of the SHO of the Town police and the Head Moharrar.

The Mirpurkhas DPO informed the IGP of Sindh about the situation, and the latter informed the federal government and requested action against the DIG of Mirpurkhas.

The IGP also ordered the SHO of the Town Police and the Head Moharrar not to leave charge without his permission.

On Sunday, DIG Saleemullah Khan, along with his guards, reportedly occupied the Town Police Station, while police officials, including the SHO, disappeared from the police station.

They searched the entry register Roznamcha and the FIR book for lodging a case against the PPO.

After two hours, the DIG left the police station.

The DIG was later suspended and a case was registered against him and his guards.

The official guards and attendants of the DIG were also withdrawn on the orders of high-ups.

The Town Police have registered the case on behalf of the state under section 109, 147, 148, 506(ii), 353 and 120(B) against Saleemullah Khan, inspector Shahid Bajwa, DIG’s personal security officer Danish, constables Saleem, Amjad and Ramzan.

Three separate teams of police were set up on the directives of the PPO, headed by TPOs Qamar Shaikh, Atta Mohammad Nizamani and Dhani Bux Mari, which raided different places and arrested constables Saleem and Danish and the former personal security officer of the DIG.

The teams also raided a place belonging to Inspector Shahid Bajwa and recovered an unlicensed 30-bore pistol, two magazines, 34 bullets, 42 bullets of SMG rifle and 520 bullets of G3 rifle.