January 26, 2008	Saturday	Muharram 16, 1429

KHANEWAL, Jan 25: Police resorted to firing, tear-gas shelling and baton-charge in Salarvan on Friday to disperse the people who, carrying the body of a man who had died due to alleged police torture on Thursday, were protesting against police.

Nawan Shehr police station officials are accused of killing Allah Bakhsh in custody.

Thousands of the people, carrying the body of Allah Bakhsh, marched from Salarvan, 40km from Khanewal, to Nawan Shehr police station chanting slogans against police officials and demanding a criminal case against those responsible for the death of Allah Bakhsh.

However, a police contingent intercepted the crowed and tried to stop them from marching towards the police station.

When the protesters refused to stop the march, the police opened fire besides using teargas and baton-charge to disperse them. Police highhandedness left 15 people injured.

Police’s action, however, fuelled anger among the people who also started pelting police with stones.

Many notables, including former Punjab minister Syed Husain Jahanian Gardezi, tried to pacify the protesters but failed as the marchers insisted on the registration of a case and suspension of police officials.

“Nazar Husain and Iqbal were injured due to police fire, which agitated the protesters followed by a storm of stone pelting and clashes between police officials and protesters,” said Aqeel, an eyewitness.

He said in the ensuing police action a number of traders and shopkeepers, including Anjuman-i-Tajran President Zahoor Husain, Mukhtar Husain and Zafar Iqbal, were beaten and injured. He said Rangers were also called in as reinforcement.

“But the protesters again gathered at the main chowk and placed the body in the middle of the road. They refused to remove the body till the registration of a case against police officials,” Aqeel said.

He said another group of landlords, led by Khurshid Abbas Gardezi, started talking with protesters and police officials to end the standoff.

He said police offered apology to injured people and promised that they would take action against the officials after autopsy report. At this, the crowed dispersed and buried the body.

Khanewal District Police Officer Shahid Hanif claimed the situation was in control, saying no one was injured due to police firing or assault.

He said only two people were injured “slightly” due to stone pelting while some of the police officials were also injured during this scuffle.

He said there were no marks on the body of Allah Bakhsh, which could prove torture by police officials.

“I say he died naturally and not due to police torture,” he calimed, adding that no action would be taken against police officials unless offence of torture was proved against them in the autopsy report.

“We are awaiting the autopsy report from the chemical examiner,” he said.