SAHIWAL: Protesters blocked Pakpattan Chowk by placing the body of a youth, who was allegedly shot dead by a uniformed policeman with his official pistol over a petty issue at the busy intersection here on Wednesday.

According to eyewitnesses, as Akhter, a resident of Ghala Mandi, stopped his motorcycle at a traffic signal at Pakapttan Chowk, it slightly hit the bike of a uniformed police constable, who got enraged and the two exchanged words.

The constable then, left his motorcycle and pounced upon the youth, ensuing a scuffle, during which the policeman took out his official pistol and shot Akhtar thrice in the chest and head.

Police sources say that a close circuit TV (CCTV) camera footage obtained from a nearby filling station also clearly shows the policeman pumping three bullets into chest and head of the youth, who died on the spot.

Rescue 1122 sources confirmed that Akhter received bullets in his chest and head and died on the spot. The police constable managed to escape from the scene.

Following the incident, the family and relatives of the deceased arrived on the spot and blocked the busy intersection for traffic. Joined by locals, they chanted slogans against police, demanding immediate arrest of the constable.

On being informed of the incident, Investigation SP Mr Ansar, and Ghala Mandi Station House Officer Muddasar Gaffar, rushed to Pakpattan Chowk and held negotiations with the protesters, led by the family and relatives of the deceased, assuring them that a murder case would be registered against the constable.

District police officials, seeking anonymity, said it was individual act of the constable and the department won’t back him.

However, the brutal killing of an innocent citizen put a question mark on police officials’ training before their deployment in the field.

SHO Gaffar told the media the fleeing constable had been identified as Bilal who was posted at Ghala Mandi police station.Police are investigating the matter.

BOY GANG-RAPED: Two youths allegedly raped a 14-year-old boy and burnt different parts of his body with burning cigarettes for offering resistance at 103/7-4R village on Tuesday.

According to police sources, the boy, a student of eighth class, went to a shop in the village to buy soft drink, where the two suspects lured him to the house of one of them.

The suspects raped the boy and tortured him with burning cigarettes when he offered resistance. As locals reached the spot on hearing the boy’s cries, the suspects fled away.

The boy was shifted to the Sahiwal Teaching Hospital where he was being treated for his injuries.

Police claim to have arrested one of the suspects.

CM: Chief Minister Chaudhry Parvez Elahi has lauded the courage of Farid Kot Chowki In Charge Sub-Inspector Sarawar Ikram, who was martyred during an encounter with a gang of five robbers on Tuesday.

The chief minister in a statement appreciated the courage of the late SI for showing an exemplary courage and his heroic act of chasing the robbers on a tip-off.

Following the SI’s killing, Pakppatan and Okara police in a joint operation killed the five robbers in two separate encounters held near Malgadah Chowk.

Punjab IGP Faisal Shahkar, also visited the house of the deceased officer at Qaboola and offered his condolence to his family.

Meanwhile, Pakpattan DPO Touseef Hyder shared the identity of the five robbers killed by police.

According to the DPO, they have been identified as Zawar Hussain and Shahid, residents of Sati ka Thatha, Gogera, Okara district; Azim and Rizwan, residents of 424/GB village, Faisalabad district, and Abid Ali, a resident of Thokar Niaz Baig, Lahore.

Published in Dawn, October 13th, 2022