HYDERABAD: Eleven persons, including four policemen and a woman, were injured in violence triggered by a CIA police raid on what was claimed to be a liquor factory in Urs Mirbahar village within the jurisdiction of the Rahuki police station on Tuesday.

The raid was conducted following the death of four persons in Tandojam and Pinyari a day earlier.Farooq Masih and Sabir Hanif, residents of Machhar Colony falling within the remit of the Pinyari police station, and Sajid Nahiyoon and Wazir Ali Kaleri, residents of Haji Darya Khan Nahiyoon village falling within the jurisdiction of the Tandojam police station, died reportedly after consuming spurious liquor.

A CIA team led by DSP Aslam Langah faced stiff resistance from villagers and operators of the factory when it was raided.

Two policemen, Ghulam Ali Dal and Mohammad Bukhsh Dal, and villager Allah Bachayo Mallah, were injured as police used force to arrest a suspect, Vikiyo Mallah.

Enraged villagers led by Nazir Mallah, Ghulam Hussain Mallah and Ms Chattahan staged a sit-in outside the Rahuki police station on Hyderabad-Mirpurkhas Road in protest against the police action.

Another police force led by DSPs Aslam Langah and Sikandar Bhatti again used force to disperse the protesters. The police baton-charged the protesters and fired shots into the air causing a stampede during which policemen Mohammad Awais, Mohammad Khan and Mohammed Farooq, and five villagers, including Ms Chattahan, were injuried.

Rahuki police registered a case against Ms Chattahan, Gulbahar Mallah, Bachayo Mallah, Vikiyo Mallah and some unknown persons allegedly involved in preparing and selling spurious liquor and attack on police teams.

Meanwhile, Hyderabad SSP Farid Jan Sarhandi has placed SHOs of Tando Yousuf, Rahuki, Tandojam, Husri and Hatri police stations after taking notice of the functioning of liquor factories within their respective jurisdictions.

Published in Dawn, October 1st, 2014