LAHORE: The killing of a local spiritual healer in Green Town late on Sunday created a massive law and order situation when an enraged mob attacked a police van to get custody of the three suspected murderers from police.

Police came under attack by hundreds of charged locals shortly after the suspects stabbed to death spiritual healer Zafar Shah.

The suspects tried to enter the residence of Shah in Feroz Park while chasing a man who took shelter in his house. Accompanied by some locals, including women, the suspects claimed that the man they were chasing had a dispute with them.

A police official claimed that Shah stopped the suspects from entering his house as his family was present inside. When a woman along with some locals tried to force her entry into the house, Shah allegedly slapped her. This led to a brawl between the two sides, the official said, adding that one of the ‘intruders’ got furious and stabbed Shah to death.

Police van attacked, security personnel rescue suspects from hundreds of locals

The news of the murder created unrest in the area as Shah’s relatives and hundreds of locals gathered on the spot. They managed to capture three suspects involved in the killing and subjected them to severe torture.

After receiving a call, police personnel rushed to the site followed by officials of the Police Response Unit, who rescued the suspects from the mob and shifted them into a police van.

The situation turned ugly when dozens more locals joined in and surrounded the police van carrying the suspects. They burst the tyres of the van, damaged windows and tried to get the custody of the suspects.

A heavy contingent of police from nearby police stations, led by two deputy superintendents of police (DSPs), reached the spot to control the law and order situation. The DSPs informed the high-ups about the sensitivity of the matter and Saddar Superintendent of Police (SP) Ahsan Saifullah also reached there with more personnel.

A high alert was declared in the area by deploying armed personnel around the police van carrying the three suspects.

However, the official said, the SP engaged the mob in talks and shifted the suspects to a police station.

Later, Shah’s body was shifted to city morgue for autopsy after lodging a murder case against the suspects.

Published in Dawn, June 4th, 2019