MINGORA: Police booked 15 persons after an angry mob protesting against excessive power outages beat up officials here on Saturday night.

Power blackout stretching up to 20 hours in parts of Mingora has sparked violent protests.

According to Mingora police, hundreds of angry protesters from Rang Mohallah, Malookabad and other areas gathered at Nishat Chowk in Mingora, chanting slogans against Pesco and the federal government. They blocked all roads linking Mingora to rest of Swat.

“After sometimes the angry protesters turned violent and started beating officials of the district administration, police and a Pesco lineman. They also started beating vendors and broke vehicles’ glasses,” said a police official.

“Additional assistant commissioner, Ghulam Said, along with other officials reached the spot and held talks with the protesters. When the officials assured them that there would be no unscheduled loadshedding in their localities, the protesters agreed to disperse, but when the officials began to leave, the agitators started beating them,” said police.

Following the violence, police lodged an open FIR against 15 persons, including elected local government representatives, on the report of ADC Ghulam Said, Pesco SDO Mohammad Jabreel and other officials.

Three persons were arrested while raids were being conducted to arrest rest of the accused.

Published in Dawn, June 27th, 2016