DERA GHAZI KHAN: At least 18 people, three of them policemen, were allegedly injured on Thursday in a clash over administration’s bid to breach a flood protection embankment built by locals on a self-help basis.
Sources said the row erupted when the administration decided to breach the embankment, Zamindara Bund, in the vicinity of Saddar police station, to save Rajanpur city.
A heavy police contingent was deployed at the spot to protect the officials and staff.
The sources said as the heavy machinery was moved to breach the embankment, scores of residents of Mauza Pati Arain, started hurling stones and some of them shattered the windowpanes of operators cabins of the excavators and other machines.
The police resorted to baton charge, firing rubber bullets and teargas shells on the protesting villagers.
The locals claimed they had built the embankment in consultation with irrigation department officials to protect their houses, crops and livestock from floodwater.
According to sources, as many as 15 villagers and three policemen got injured in the clash, while the area was tense till the filing of this report.
District Police Officer Zahid Mahmood Gondal said a case had been registered against 300 villagers. He said more than 10,000 villagers had attacked police and other officials. He said the attack had left 10 policemen injured.
Published in Dawn, July 31st, 2015
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