FAISALABAD, Oct 19: Thirty villagers were arrested on Friday night from villages 48-JB and 49-GB for their alleged involvement in attacking and burning the Tarkhani police station about two years ago during their protest against a custodial death.

Villagers and relatives of the arrested alleged that the arrests had been made on the orders of a PML-Q MNA-elect as they had voted in favour of a PPP candidate.

Tarkhani police raided a number of houses and rounded up dozens of villagers. The midnight operation continued till Saturday morning and none of the villagers was allowed to leave the area without identification.

After hours long search of two villages, police teams took into custody 30 people and locked them at Samundri police station as the Tarkhani police station does not have its own lock-up.

Those arrested include Muhammad Shabbir, Zubair Ahmad, Naveed Shakir, Majeed, Nazir, Allah Ditta, Sagheer, Nusrat and Nanha.

They were brought to the city in police vans on Saturday under tight security. The police presented them before the additional district and sessions judge for getting their remand as the Anti-Terrorism Court judge was on leave. The ADSJ granted their remand for four days.

Residents of Tarkhani village, some 56 kms from here, set on fire the building of the area police station, damaged a dozen vehicles, tortured policemen and blocked a road in protest against the custodial death of Naseer Ahmed of Chak 48-GB on Oct 11, 2000. The deceased was in police custody in a theft case.

Carrying his coffin, the protesters had also besieged the offices of defunct assistant commissioner, Samundri, and other government offices.

Tarkhani police after two days of the incident had booked over 300 protesters for burning police station and injuring policemen. But no arrest was made during the last two years because the inquiry committee had reportedly found responsible the area police for the whole episode.

When contacted, the muharrar of the Tarkhani police station confirmed the arrests of 30 villagers, but refused to comment further saying the matter was being handled by the high-ups.

COPS SUSPENDED: The DPO suspended four police personnel, including a lady inspector, for committing fraud and violating prescribed rules here on Saturday.