LAHORE: Gullu Butt, the man who audaciously smashed private vehicles outside the Minhajul Quran secretariat in the presence of police, faced the wrath of citizens and lawyers at Model Town Courts where he was given a sound thrashing on Thursday.

Faisal Town police personnel had brought Butt with his face covered to the court for his production before a judicial magistrate.

Some lawyers and citizens spotted him and attacked him with fists and kicks. The cops escorting Butt failed to rescue him from the charged citizens and lawyers but advised him to feign being faint. The 'secret' advice of the cops was also recorded by cameras of television channels. The cops later took Butt back to the police station in an auto-rickshaw without presenting him before the court.

Deployment of police personnel was enhanced on the court's premises during the second appearance of Butt before the magistrate who sent him to jail on judicial remand and directed the investigating officer to submit a challan of the case.

REMAnDED: An anti-terrorism court sent 44 workers of the Pakistan Awami Tehreek to jail on judicial remand.

They were arrested for encountering with police during an anti-encroachment operation outside the Minhajul Quran Secretariat in Model Town.

Police produced 51 suspects before court and asked it to give physical remand of 44 while sought permission to remove names of eight suspects from the FIR.

The magistrate turned down the request of physical remand and sent the suspects to jail on judicial remand. He also ordered the police to remove names of eight suspects from the FIR.

Published in Dawn, June 20th, 2014