THATTA, Jan 10: The owner of a flour mill was severely thrashed by the police during a raid conducted by the DCO Thatta at a flour mill in Dhabeji on Thursday.

DCO Mohammad Usman Panhwar, with a heavy contingent of police raided People’s Flour Mills in Dhabeji and directed the management to set up a flour stall. The mill owner Shoaib Memon told the DCO that they had sold 200 bags of flour at the stall while more would be supplied in the evening.

This resulted in an exchange of hot words and the DCO reportedly tortured Shoaib with kicks and punches and slapped his face which allegedly damaged his eardrum. He was immediately rushed to Aga Khan Hospital Karachi for treatment.

He said that the mill owner Shoaib told DCO that though he was not getting proper quota of wheat from the food department, even then he had set up flour stall. He alleged that the DCO thrashed Shoaib, while the labourers were subjected to torture by the police party. He alleged that police also forcibly took away 250bags of flour.

The Sindh Flour Mills Association has condemned the action and threatened to close down the mills throughout Sindh if the DCO was not transferred and a case was not registered against him within 24 hours.