SANGHAR, March 1: An under-trial prisoner was shot dead by a man in the premises of the district and sessions court building here on Wednesday. The prisoner, Nawaz Lashari, was fired upon allegedly by Sobharo Wassan from point blank when he was brought to the court for trial in a case registered against him under section 11/16 of the Hudood Ordinance. He was taken to the Sanghar Civil Hospital where doctors pronounced him dead. Sobharo Wassan was arrested with the pistol.

Nawaz Lashari had allegedly lured a girl, Rani, of the Wassan clan from the Malhor Wassan village in the Chotiariyoon police area and married her a few months back. Police had registered a case against him.

However, on intervention of elders, the girl returned to her parents’ home but Nawaz Lashari was arrested in the case.

Talking to journalists, Ghulam Rasool Lashari and Mohammad Urs Lashari, relatives of the deceased, who are also facing trial in the case and were present at the time of the incident, alleged that ASI Taqi Shah had provided the pistol to the accused.

The mother of the deceased, Sahiban, and brother, Liaquat Nawaz, said that along with women of their family, they had gone to parents of the girl to seek pardon but they killed Nawaz Lashari.

They alleged that the girl’s relatives had given Rs75,000 to ASI Taqi Shah who had promised to help them in the case.