LARKANA: A police constable shot dead an under-trial prisoner with his official pistol at Larkana Central Prison on Monday (Eid day) reportedly to avenge murder of his maternal uncle, triggering protest by the victim’s relatives outside Larkana Press Club on Wednesday.

Mohammad Hussain Chandio, the constable, killed the UTP, Ali Raza aka Lakhmir Chandio, who had been in the prison since 2021 on charges of murdering Sajid Chandio, maternal uncle of the constable Hussain Chandio.

The jail police arrested the constable and handed him over to Waleed police station after Muzaffar Noonari, a security officer at the central prison, registered an FIR against him. The accused had confessed to having committed the crime and said he had avenged the murder of his maternal uncle, said the sources.

The UTP’s body was handed over to relatives in the presence of a judicial magistrate after completion of medico-legal formalities. The bereaved family and relatives buried their loved one on Monday and came back on the third day of his death to record protest outside Larkana Press Club.

Irshad Khatoon, mother of the victim, Abdul Razzak Chandio and others alleged that the jail staff and the accused were hand in glove with each other on the plan to kill Ali Raza and demanded registration of FIR against them.

They appealed to Sindh chief minister, IG prisons and other officers concerned to serve them justice.

11 suspended over murder in jail

Inspector General of Prisons and Correction Service Qazi Nazir Ahmed on Monday suspended 11 junior prison officials on charge of gross negligence in duty.

The penalised officials were; Shabbir Ahmed Abbasi, assistant superintendent jail; Muzaffar Noonari, assistant superintendent; Akhtar Ali, ASI prison; head constables Mehrab Jatoi, Abdul Wahid Rahoojo, and constables Khalid Abbasi, Ghulam Hussain Chandio, Ghulam Tahir Lakho, Hameed, Sajjad Mangan and Riaz Mangan.

Published in Dawn, June 20th, 2024