FAISALABAD, Aug 31: Two weeks after the death of Qari Noor Muhammad, an application has been filed with the District Police Officer for registration of a murder case in this connection.

The applicant, Qari Muhammad Tayyab, father-in-law of the deceased and a resident of Deepalpur, district Okara, stated that Qari Noor had been residing at Jamia Masjid Mubarik for the last 18 years with his family and imparting religious education to boys. His wife, Rehana Noor Muhammad, was also teaching girls at a madressah adjacent to the mosque.

"A heavy police contingent accompanied by some unknown persons in civvies raided the Jamia Masjid Mubarik, Dijkot Road, on the night of Aug 13. The raiding team entered into the mosque and its adjacent seminary and arrested Qari Noor Muhammad. The raiding team members also took some books into custody," the applicant added.

According to him, local UC Naib Nazim Muhammad Irfan Gull, his father Muhammad Gull, and Bashir Ahmed, president of the mosque organization Anjuman Madressah-i-Anwarul Quran, led the raiding team to the place.

Qari Tayyab alleged that Qari Obaidullah, city president of the MMA, and Imamuddin, a student of Qari Noor, were also rounded up and all of them shifted to some unknown place where they were subjected to physical torture in separate cells. Qari Noor died as a result, the applicant added.

He pointed out in the complaint that the other two arrested men were taken to the Sargodha Road Police Station where they were set free on the orders of the District Police Officer.

He further claimed that those who had tortured Qari Noor Muhammad and his companions could be identified by Qari Obaidullah and Imamuddin if they were presented before them.

He alleged that Irfan Gull, his father and Bashir Ahmed were involved in misappropriation of mosque funds. At a meeting a couple of months ago, Qari Noor had asked them to deposit the misappropriated amount in the mosque fund but they refused to do so

. To teach a lesson to Qari Noor, they reported falsehood to the police and some other agencies, which led to the raid and arrest of Qari Noor, Obaidullah and Imamuddin, he added.

According to the local MMA leadership, District Police Officer Muhammad Amin Wains had assured them that a murder case would be registered after a preliminary scrutiny of the contents of the application.

Sources said that police were facing difficulties in selecting a police station for registration of a murder case in this connection. Qari Noor was rounded up from the limits of Factory Area Police Station and reportedly tortured at some unknown place.

The arrests were brought to light by the SHO of Kotwali Police Station, who claimed that Qari Noor was rounded up on Aug 16 under 16-MPO. The claim does not account for the presence of Maulana Obaidullah and Imamuddin at Sargodha Road Police Station.