PESHAWAR: Regi police have registered a case against Essakhel tribesmen under anti-terrorism act and PPC after a band of 80 of them attacked a police party during a raid in Sufaid Sang village on the outskirts of the city late on Friday.

However, a police official said the matter was about a land dispute between a political figure from the ruling party and the Essakhel tribe.

Police personnel had gone to the area after a clash between the tribesmen and the politician’s staff over the disputed land.

According to the FIR registered at the Regi police station, police personnel raided the village to recover some kidnapped persons. It said that when the police took some of the wanted persons, some 70 to 80 armed men attacked the police party and the clash continued for about 40 to 50 minutes.

It said that when more police personnel reached the village, children and women of the village pelted the police with stones and helped the suspects escape.

The SHO of Regi police station and a constable were injured in the stone pelting.

Later, the police booked the attackers under Section 7 of the Anti-Terrorism Act and relevant sections of the Pakistan Penal Code.

Published in Dawn, September 4th, 2022