TOBA TEK SINGH, Feb 14: Police handed over one of the 13 bodies of alleged dacoits on Wednesday evening killed in a reported encounter in Chak 133-9 L on Feb 10 to his heir. The police gave the body of Anwar, a taxi driver, who was buried in his village 336-GB Nia Saraba on Thursday.

Khan Muhammad, Anwar's father, told Dawn his 18-year-old son along with two other relatives had gone on Feb 7 to see their three other relatives detained in Kasowal police station. Kasowal police arrested him at Lundoo Canal Bridge on Toba-Chichawatni Road.

Later, he along 12 others was killed in the “so-called encounter” with villagers in Chak 133-9 L.

Following the killing, Anwar and others were buried in a graveyard near Sahiwal General Bus Stand. However, funeral prayers were also offered in the village on the occasion of re-burial.

Anwar's uncle Ramzan said he had asked former district nazim Chaudhry Muhammad Ashfaq and former provincial minister Dr Ashfaqur Rehman for the exhumation of the graves of all the 13 people so that they could be buried in their towns.

He said both politicians phoned the Sahiwal district police officer and Saddar deputy superintendent of police who promised that all the 13 bodies would be handed over to their heirs. When they arrived in Sahiwal, police handed over the body of Anwar to them. He added a police squad followed their ambulance until they left the Sahiwal district.

Ramzan says that Ashraf, of Chak 325-JB, also among the killed people, was married 18 days ago and was arrested in his house on Feb 7.

Sahiwal police say the 13 went to rob the farmhouse of Sardar Najeeb Khan where they all were killed in an encounter with the villagers.

Their families claim they were innocent and killed in police custody and urged the chief justice to take suo moto note of the alleged encounter.