GUJRANWALA, Sept 26: An SHO and four other police officials were booked on murder charges in Wahando here on Sunday.

Sardar Muhammad, a landlord of village Botala Sharam Sing, was travelling by car (FDL-2294) on Wahando Road when Eminabad police signalled him to stop near village Khoteray, but he drove on. The police aired a message of his escape.

When he was passing through village Kotli Nawab, Wahando police also signalled him to stop, but he sped on. The police opened fire on him. He died on the spot. Villagers gathered at the scene, chanted slogans against police and demanded that police officials involved in the murder should be arrested immediately.

DPO Dr Arif Mushtaq and other senior officers reached the place on being informed of the incident. The DPO ordered registration of a murder case against Wahando SHO Inspector Ijaz Warraich and four other officials and suspended them from service.

The DPO ordered an inquiry into the death of the landlord and designated SI Abdul Hamid as the investigation officer. Heirs of the deceased accused the police of killing the landlord deliberately.