April 06, 2007	Friday	Rabi-ul-Awwal 17, 1428

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FAISALABAD, April 5: The family of a teenaged boy whose eyes were badly damaged in a brutal acid attack about two weeks ago is being pressured to reconcile with the accused who are relatives of a senior police officer.

Reports said Wajahat Ali, a helper at a billiard shop, was sleeping near his workplace in vegetable market, located a few yards away from the Ghulam Mohammad Abad police station, on March 23 when two boys — Asif Dogar and Inzimam — allegedly injected acid in his eyes. Wajahat started crying for help, while the accused managed to escape. But, on April 3 they were arrested by the police, fearing public reaction

It has been learnt that the victim had exchanged hot words with the accused a couple of days before the incident over a petty issue.

Sources said that after the incident, the owners of nearby shops approached area police for filing a report but to no avail as an uncle of one of the accused was a senior police officer.

The victim’s father Niaz Mohammad, a daily wager, submitted an application with the police concerned on March 23 regarding the incident, but the law-enforcers registered the case after a week’s time, they said.

The doctors concerned at the Allied Hospital, where Wajahat is under treatment, say that his one eye had been completely damaged while recovery chances of the other were bleak.

The victim told Dawn the police had constantly been pressuring him and his family to reconcile with the accused. He said being poor it was hard for them to sustain police pressure.

He alleged that a few days ago Asif Dogar’s uncle threatened him with dire consequences for pursuing the case.

A constable posted at the police station, requesting anonymity, said the accused were being given `protocol’ and served lavish food in custody. They had been detained in a separate room instead of the lock-up.

Meanwhile, Jinnah Town TPO Sarfraz Falki has suspended investigation officer Sub-inspector Mohammad Aslam from service for forcing the victim family to reconcile with the accused.

SHO concerned Abid Zafar denied the allegations of leniency with the accused. For delay in the case registration, he claimed the victim’s family had produced the medico-legal certificate late.

However, it is mentioned in the FIR that the certificate was prepared on March 24.

The SHO claimed the accused had no criminal record. But, on scrutinising the record it was learnt that one of the accused was nominated in a kidnap case.