SARGODHA, Dec 14: Four people, including three brothers, were shot dead and two others injured allegedly by rivals in the Kirana police station lock-up late Saturday night, some 30kms from here.

Five armed men in police uniform came to the police station at about 3am by a vehicle bearing an official number plate with revolving blue light. Taking them as high-ups, guard Zafarullah allowed them entrance into the police station.

Muharrer Mohammad Iqbal said he had recognized one of them as policeman Khawar Saleem, the main rival of the detainees. He said he resisted, but they overpowered him, the guard and the wireless operator and confined them in a room after snatching a gun from the guard.

He said the accused then opened the lock-up where Mukhtar, Zulfikar, Anwar, their father Sharif, Mohammad Ali and his brother Shahbaz were detained. The assailants opened indiscriminate fire on them, killing three brothers and Mohammad Ali instantly and injuring Sharif and Shahbaz seriously. The assailants escaped from the scene.

Later, the policemen came out of the room through a window and informed the high-ups by phone. They also rushed the injured to a local hospital where their condition was stated to be critical.

Mukhtar and other detainees had killed Aamer Warraich, the brother of accused Khawar Saleem, on Oct 2 over a monetary issue. The police had registered a murder case against 15 people, including Mukhtar and others, detained in the lock-up. While the other accused were yet to be arrested.

Mukhtar, Deendar and others of Chak 107-SB had borrowed Rs120,000 from another member of family who sought help for the return of his money from Aamer Warraich of Chak 98-SB. Aamer forced Mukhtar and others to return the amount, but they refused. They also used abusive language against Aamer, and on Oct 2 they shot him dead.

Khawar Saleem, the brother of deceased Aamer, harboured a grudge. A police officer posted at Faisalabad, Khawar was actively pursuing the murder case of his brother. He reportedly made a complaint to DIG Asif Nawaz Warraich when he held an open kutchery at Bagtanwala just a day before the chief minister’s visit. He informed the DIG that the Kirana police were not taking interest in arresting the nominated accused.

The deceased party alleged that Khawar Saleem used to claim himself a close relative of the Sargodha range DIG and he manoeuvred a murder plan with the help of the Kirana police. The DIG was not available in his office for comments.

Meanwhile, acting DPO Dr Shahzad Aslam Siddiqi said that as per the FIR lodged by the complainant party some 32 people were involved in the murder case. He said that Khawar Saleem along with Faisal Ghuman, Tahir, Manzoor, Maqsood committed the crime in police uniform.

He said that assailants were also accompanied by Ehsanullah, Aslam Deendar, Hayat, Soni, Liaquat, Arif, Tariq, Riasat, Ghulam Haider, Khalid, Baber, Aslam and Saleem and ten other unidentified people who were present outside the police station.

According to the FIR, he said the crime was committed with the abetment of Mehmood Ahmed, Sanaullah and Afzal Hussain. The acting DPO said that five accused had so far been arrested while various teams were constituted for the arrest of the remaining accused.

He further said that SP Ali Ahmed Sabir Kayani was appointed as inquiry officer.

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