SUKKUR, May 5: A large number of Sunni Tehrik activists and leaders demonstrated in front of the DCO office Jacobabad in protest against the Taluka Municipal Officer Thull on Thursday.

Led by the district president Barkat Ali Naseerani and Mukhtiar Sahito, Nazeer Khokhar, Abdul Ghaffar Brohi and Mashooq Malghani, they besieged office of the DCO.

They were protesting against posting of TMO Thull Abid Abro as District Monitoring Officer. They accused him of misappropriating development funds during his posting there.

While accusing Mr Abro of misappropriating Rs400 million, they regretted that despite complaints and protests, neither any enquiry conducted nor disciplinary action taken against him.

The protesters damaged furniture of the DCO office and threw stones on the building damaging window glasses.

They also manhandled office staff after which president of Small Traders Ahmed Ali Brohi and others reached there and persuaded the protesters to calm down after which they ended blockade of the office. DCO Sajid Jamal Abro was not present in his office at the time of protest.

In the meantime, police were called in but protesters moved towards the press club where they torched an effigy of Abid Abro. Police cordoned the protesters near the press club and used batons to disperse them.

Three persons, including ST district president Barkat Naseerani, Mukhtiar Sahito and another sustained injuries.

Police picked up Mukhtiar Sahito while other leaders and activists fled from the scene.

Civil Line and City police have registered cases against leaders and activists of Sunni Tehrik, including Mukhtiar Ahmed Sahito, Barkat Ali, Sadam and Mehboob Ali.