BADIN: The alleged kidnapping of a Hyderabad Electric Supply Company (Hesco) officer that triggered protests, strike and suspension of power supply across Matli town on Monday took a new turn on Tuesday when the area SSP rejected the victim’s claim that he had never been kidnapped and that the report aired by some TV channels about his kidnapping was nothing but a rumour.

The electronic media report had suggested that Sepco sub-divisional officer Waseem Ahmed Korai had been kidnapped after power supply to certain consumers was suspended for their default on electricity bills.

Finally, the SSP said, the kidnappers brought Mr Korai to Digri in Mirpurkhas district and asked him to deny reports about his kidnapping. “The hostage was still held at gun point when he spoke to the media at the press club,” the police officer said.

Immediately after the news spread in Matli on Monday, power supply to the entire town was suspended and large groups of Sepco employees, as well as members of the general public, took to the streets. All markets, bazaars, commercial outlets and shops were closed and traders and shopkeepers joined in the protests.

The protesters later converged on the Hyderabad-Badin Road and held a sit-in for the recovery of the kidnap victim. It was only after four hours of sit-in that the participants came to know that Mr Korai had emerged at the Digri Press Club to deny ‘rumour’ of his kidnapping. He was quoted as saying that he along with Asif Ali Nizamani and two other friends had actually left the town for hunting.

The protests eventually came to an end.

However, Matli police registered an FIR under the relevant sections of the Pakistan Penal Code and the Anti-Terrorism Act late on Monday night against Asif Ali Nizamani and two other suspects for allegedly kidnapping the SDO.

It emerged on Tuesday that the suspects were booked on a directive of Badin SSP Khalid Mustafa Korai and on the complaint of a Hesco line superintendent, Zahid Khoso.

The SSP told Dawn that soon after the SDO’s alleged kidnapping, Inayat Nizamani, an influential figure of the area and the uncle of Asif Nizamani, was picked up for interrogation. He said police managed to find a clue to the hostage and his kidnappers during the interrogation supported by investigation and pressure built up on the detained man.

Mr Korai verified the SSP’s claim after he was provided protection on his request.

He said he was kidnapped by the armed suspects who subjected him to torture for cutting off power supply to their households.

Later, he added, they took him to Digri and forced to speak to journalists and deny having been kidnapped.

Published in Dawn, January 28th, 2015

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