SUKKUR: A large number of schoolchildren, teachers and residents of villagers took out a procession in Hassan Phulpoto village, Khairpur district, on Friday in protest against harassment of female teachers by local thugs, who tried to kidnap the teachers when they were returning home on a rickshaw a day ago.

The protesters’ leaders Al-Khair School’s headmaster Zohaib Rahujo, teacher Abdul Qadeer and villagers Amanullah Phulpoto, Punial Phulpoto, Ghulam Asghar and others, said that armed motorcyclists intercepted the teachers’ rickshaw, harassed them and were about to kidnap them on Thursday but were saved by villagers who rushed to rescue them after hearing their cries for help.

The armed thugs sped away on motorcycles while issuing the teachers threats of dire consequences when they saw the villagers approaching them, they said.

They said that they had lodged a complaint at Pir-jo-Goth police station against the harassers, Uzair Maitlo, who was reportedly son of a police official, and his accomplices but police had not taken any action against them.

They demanded Sukkur DIG, Khairpur SSP and other higher authorities should take notice of the incident and put the thugs behind bars so that female teachers and students could feel secure on their way to and back from the school.

Action taken against harassers: SSP

Khairpur SSP Dr Samiullah Soomro said that police had lodged an FIR (No.175/2024) on behalf of state under Sections 341, 506/2 PPC against the suspects Imran Maitlo and Uzair Maitlo, who had allegedly harassed lady teachers of Al-Khair School and hurled threats at them of dire consequences.

Police had arrested Imran Maitlo, said the SSP, adding they were making concerted efforts to arrest the main suspect, Uzair Maitlo, who had fled after the incident. Further investigation was under way, he said.

Published in Dawn, October 19th, 2024