MANSEHRA: The Balakot police on Tuesday booked a local judge, his official guards and court staff for torturing an assistant commissioner over the alleged encroachment of the tehsil offices’ land.

However, no arrests were made until night.

Assistant commissioner of Balakot Mohammad Ali Asghar told police that the members of civil judge Islamuddin’s staff were putting up car park sheds on the land of the tehsil offices and when he asked the judge to stop them from encroaching on the land, he along with his two official gunmen and court staff beat him black and blue.

“I showed him (judge) a circular issued by the Hazara commissioner about the land and asked him not to encroach on the land but instead of ordering a halt to work, he along with his men attempted to kill me (by attacking),” he said.

Mr Asghar also said the judge’s gunmen snatched his cellphone and injured his guard Ikhlaq before taking away his weapon.

When Balakot additional deputy commissioner Tasleem Khan showed up to defuse tension, local lawyers attacked him. However, local people, including litigants, came to his rescue.

Mr Tasleem said the court premises adjacent to the tehsil offices were enough to park the three judges’ vehicles.

He said civil judge Islamuddin had encroached on the tehsil offices’ land.

Police said the FIR against attackers was registered under the Code of Criminal Procedure’s sections 324, 353, 447, 147 and 148.

Later in the day, the Mansehra district police officer directed the official gunmen of all three Balakot judges to report to the police lines.

The incident led to suspension of work at tehsil offices and adjoining courts due to deployment of a heavy contingent of police.

When contacted, Islamuddin said he had got a no objection certificate from the chief municipal officer for establishment of car park sheds.

He refused to comment on the incident.