FAISALABAD: The entire police security staff deputed at the Jaranwala tehsil courts was suspended from service and the number of policemen increased there after the murder of an under-trial man outside the court of additional district and session judge (ADSJ).

As many as 14 policemen were suspended from service for failing to stop three armed men from entering the court premises where they gunned down their rival Tariq alias Tari outside the court of ADSJ Naeem Aslam on Friday.

A case has also been instituted against three policemen on charges of helping an accused--Imtiaz alias Qari -- an accomplice of Tari-- escape from the scene during the firing incident. The case was registered under sections 155-C, 223 and 224 of the Pakistan Penal Code (PPC) on the complaint of Assistant Sub-Inspector Maqbool Ahmed, the in charge of judicial guard.

After the incident, the strength of the police security on court premises has been increased to 29 personnel.

The lawyers have severely criticised the police over poor security arrangements which allowed the attackers to gun down a man in custody.

Police said all the attackers had been arrested and investigations were started.

Published in Dawn, November 24th, 2019