MULTAN, March 15: Police were raiding houses in Wazirabad and other localities of Multan late on Tuesday and arrested scores of people who had allegedly attacked the Basti Malook police station after a fierce clash and got freed a man from, what they say, “illegal” police custody, police and residents told on Tuesday.

Police said the mob had allegedly freed from the lock-up six accused involved in dacoity and murder cases.

Nine people, including three policemen, were also injured in clashes which erupted when police resorted to baton charge a crowd protesting a “false” FIR by the Basti Malook police.

Hundreds of protesters gathered on Tuesday at Laar Chowk to protest the FIR of theft, firing and kidnapping against Mian Liaqat, of Basti Wazirabad, registered on Monday evening. Police arrested Akbar, a friend of Liaqat, on Tuesday morning when he came to the police station to know about the case.

Basti Malook SHO Zaheeruddin Babar, who is brother-in-law of PML-N MNA Rana Mehmoodul Hasan, arrived at the scene and ordered his staff to resort to baton charge on protesters to disperse them.

Protesters said brutal treatment by police provoked them and they retaliated police in the same coin and forced them to take shelter in the police station.

Police said protesters ransacked the police station and got freed Akbar from lock-up. Police claim six other accused, including Ranjha, Muhammad Saleem, Ghulam Abbas and Ishfaq, also escaped from the lock-up.

Police alleged protesters thrashed them, including the SHO, and three staffers were injured. Protesters say six people sustained injuries in the baton charge.

Residents said senior police officers had decided to put the responsibility of the incident on protesters only to save the “politically strong” SHO. They said the SHO was notorious for implicating “political opponents” in false cases.

Regional Police Officer Mubarak Ali Athar said some people had blocked GT Road in protest at false case against Liaqat. He said Liaqat had been arrested on Monday night.

He said the situation got worsened when police used batons to disperse them. He alleged mobsters had stolen guns and other material from the police station besides freeing six accused involved in heinous crimes.

SHO Babar, who sits at the centre of the controversy, said that police had arrested some people involved in dacoity and murder cases and their supporters had attacked the police station for their release. He said that police had arrested six people who had links with the accused to ascertain the whereabouts of the escaping people.

He said that 300 to 400 people have attacked on police station and FIR of the incident had yet to be lodged.