HYDERABAD, Feb 1: In support of a grocery shop owner, some residents of Kotri staged a protest demonstration outside the Hyderabad press club here on Friday evening against a police constable of special branch.

Talking to newsmen, shopkeeper Tariq Mehmood alleged that constable Akbar Bhatti had taken Rs73,000 from him for getting his brother enrolled as ASI in the special branch.

He said he later came to know that Bhatti who had been posing as an ASI was only a constable.

He said when he demanded his money, he was threatened with dire consequences.

He appealed to the authorities to take legal action against Bhatti and ensure that his money was returned to him.