ISLAMABAD: At least one person was killed and three received injuries on Saturday as residents of Kortana village in Sihala foiled a bid by armed men allegedly sent by a housing society to grab common land (shamlat).

A police official told Dawn that there was a series of attempts by one of the country’s leading housing societies to grab the village common land. In light of these attempts and the police’s inaction, the SHO of the Sihala police station was also removed earlier this week.

The Saturday incident took place due to the negligence of the police as well.

According to a police official, at least a dozen men armed to teeth stormed the village to take over the land, but their attempt was thwarted by the villagers who had gathered at some distance from the men who had arrived in SUVs.

The police were informed about the tense situation in the village and the presence of the gunmen in the area, the official told Dawn.

He added that in the meantime a “confrontation” ensued which ended up in firing by the assailants.

As a result, a villager died, and three other sustained bullet injuries. In a subsequent retaliation by the residents, the attackers fled the scene.

G.T. Road blocked

The killing prompted a demonstration by the locals who blocked G.T. Road to protest the attack on the village.

They said the police failed to take action against the housing society despite several complaints lodged by the villagers against land-grabbing attempts. Senior police officials also reached the spot and negotiated with the villagers to end the protest.

After hours-long negotiation, the protest was called off and the body of the slain villager was handed over to the police for autopsy, the police official said, adding that the police high-ups assured locals that action would be taken against the culprits.

Another police official said the villagers had lodged multiple land-grabbing complaints against the housing society, but the matter was not taken seriously by the police.

The villagers alleged that the Sihala police acted in favour of the housing society on the directives of a senior officer, the police official said.

On Jan 17, the matter was brought to the knowledge of the SSP Operations and DIG Operations and during a preliminary inquiry it was revealed that the housing society claimed to have bought the land from the villagers and paid a full amount against it, but the villagers were allegedly demanding more money to hand over the possession.

The inquiry further revealed that it was common land and could not be sold. In response, the DIG asked the SSP to remove the respective SHO, who was later transferred.

Earlier, on Jan 18, another attempt was made to grab the villagers’ land.

Subsequently, an FIR was registered by the police on the same day under Section 506ii, 109, 149, 511, and 447.

An officer said over two dozen people attacked the village with the intention to grab the land, including the inherited lands of complainant Aftab.

He called the police for help when the armed men threatened him with dire consequences.

The police reached the spot and arrested at least nine people while the rest managed to escape.

Published in Dawn, January 22nd, 2023