SUKKUR: Ghotki police on Thursday declared death of a suspect, Nawaz Siyal, claiming that he was wounded and arrested during an encounter on Wednesday night within the limits of the Wasti Jeewan Shah police station.

They said he died during treatment at a hospital in Ubauro town on Thursday.

The bereaved family, however, contested the police version claiming that Siyal was arrested six days ago in the Quaidabad locality of Karachi in connection with the murder of a police constable, Farzan Kalwar, about three months back in Adilpur town of Ghotki district. Since then, Siyal had been in police custody, they insisted.

Siyal was a resident of Chak Sial village of Khanpur Mahar town, the family

said, adding that he was a labourer by profession.

The Wasti Jeewan Shah police transported Siyal’s body to his village by an ambulance and handed it over to the heirs. His relatives said that he was picked up while eating in a hotel in Quaidabad. “On Wednesday (Sept 23), we held a protest demonstration against his arrest,” they said, adding “in the evening, we were informed that he was wounded in an encounter with the Wasti Jeewan Shah police”.

They said it was an extrajudicial killing and the whole episode must be investigated.

They told reporters in Khanpur Mahar that they intended to move court, and appealed to the higher authorities and judiciary to take notice of the “fake encounter” and provide them justice.

‘ASI’s killer’ arrested

Jacobabad police on Thursday claimed to have arrested a suspect involved in the killing of a police officer, Abdul Razzaq Golo in Thull taluka 19 days ago.

SSP Mohammad Tariq Nawaz said in a press statement that Shakoor Sarki, the main suspect in ASI Golo’s murder was arrested in an encounter between a gang of outlaws and Thull police near the Bhachro area of the taluka. Sarki’s three accomplices managed to escape during the encounter, the statement said, adding that raids were being conducted on the suspected hideouts to arrest the fleeing outlaws.

It said that Sarki was wanted by the Ghotki police in several other criminal cases as well.

Published in Dawn, September 25th, 2020