LAHORE, Sept 18: The family of a 17-year-old boy who died on Tuesday from injuries he suffered in a shooting by Eden City housing society security guards last month has accused the police of inaction, alleging that the killers are still at large.

Mahmood Ali, a farmhand and resident of Malikpur near the new airport, had been sitting with two friends on Eden City housing scheme lawns on Aug 10 when he was shot from behind by Sabir Jan and Tipu, victim’s brother-in-law Sharafat Ali told Dawn at the city morgue.

Mahmood was taken to the General Hospital where he recovered and made his statement before the police and named his attackers, Sharafat said, alleging that he was discharged prematurely under police pressure which led to his death.

Sharafat claimed that the guards asked Mahmood and his friends to leave. “When they didn’t, the guards beat them up, causing the boys to run and then fired at them. One of the bullets hit Mahmood in the ribs and another went through his throat.”

Sharafat said Mahmood was taken to the hospital where he began to recover from his wounds and recounted his story before the police.

Mahmood’s father Muhammad Esa got registered a case naming the security guards as the accused.

Sharafat alleged the accused bribed the police who put pressure on the hospital staff to discharge Mahmood before he fully recovered, thus precipitating the boy’s death. The two accused are now “roaming about freely”, he added.

Dr Khalid at the hospital denied the allegation. He said, “We repaired the trachea and treated the boy’s other injuries. In my opinion he was ready to be discharged.”

Mahmood’s condition worsened after 10 days and he was brought back to the hospital with respiratory problem. Dr Khalid said the hospital could not accommodate him for want of ventilator, and so the family took him to Farooq Hospital, a private healthcare facility in Iqbal Town, where they were assured of availability of the ventilator.

However, it was not to be. Mahmood’s condition worsened and he was declared dead early Tuesday morning.