RAWALPINDI: Police have so far arrested 74 people, including four policemen, in connection with November 15 Ashura violence, and sought arrest warrants of 33 other suspects who are likely to be declared as proclaimed offenders.

Of the 74 suspects, 71 had been shifted from Adiala to the Jhelum district jail for security reasons.

However, prominent clerics who have been nominated in the FIR have not been arrested by the police for want of evidence.

A police source close to the investigation said challans had been submitted in the court.

The four policemen were associated with Rawalpindi and Islamabad police. They were spotted in the close circuit television images.

The violence claimed 15 people lives and damaged public property worth millions of rupees.

The source said in addition to the arrest of 74 suspects of the violence, the police investigating into the incident have also sought the arrest warrants of 33 other people including Zaigham Shah in the same case. Police claimed all the 33 suspects would be declared as proclaimed offenders (POs) on the next hearing on Feb 10.

Besides, some prominent clerics, 150 to 200 other people were identified in the FIR registered with Gunjmandi police on November 15.

When superintendent of Central Jail Adiala Malik Mushtaq Awan was contacted, he confirmed that 71 prisoners being involved in Ashura violence had been shifted to district jail Jhelum.

“All those who had shifted to Jhelum belonged to Shia sect,” the superintendent said.