HYDERABAD, April 19 Villagers of Khairpur district staged a demonstration on Sunday outside the Hyderabad Press Club against a Pakistan Muslim League (Functional) MPA who they alleged had attacked their village and opened fire, injuring a man.

Speaking on the occasion, villagers Salim Khan Bhanbhan, Mohammad Azam Bhanbhan and others of Goth Salim Khan Banbhan, Faiz Ganj taluka, Khairpur district, alleged that a few days ago, the MPA and his henchmen had attached their village and occupied 50 acres of land by force.

They said the firing had seriously injured villager Khadim Hussain Bhanbhan who had been in a Nawabshah hospital since then.

They said an FIR had been filed against the MPA, but police had failed to take any action.

They also accused the MPA of occupying the government primary school of the village.

The protesting villagers appealed to the authorities to take action against the accused.

Some civil society activists belonging to different NGOs also joined the protest.

ANTI-POICE DEMO A group of villagers has accused the Nawabshah and Naushahro Feroze police of raiding their homes in Dittal Korai village and picking up 28 people, including three women and three children, and urged higher authorities to ensure their release immediately.

Mohammad Yasin Korai, Mohammad Asif, Mohammad Khan Korai and others said at a news conference at the press club on Sunday that a heavy contingent of police from Nawabshah and Naushahro Feroze, who came in 25 mobiles, raided their village on the night of April 15 and picked up 28 people, including three women and three children.

Yasin Korai said the police also took away licensed weapons, motorcycles, cattle, wheat and ornaments and appealed to MNA Faryal Talpur, Home Minister Dr Zulfiqar Mirza, senior police officers and superior judiciary to order police to release their relatives and return looted belongings.

To a question about reasons behind the raid, Yasin termed it political victimisation because they were voters of Rais Ghulam Mustafa Jatoi.

However, when pressed further, he said that police suspected that the villagers were involved in looting a coach on April 13 about 30 kilometres from their village.