DADU, Nov 10: A strike by the shopkeepers, followed by a demonstration, against the police failure to check rising crime rate in the city, led to suspension of an SHO here on Sunday.

The markets of Dadu — including Sarafa Bazaar, Rai Bazaar and Shahi Bazaar remained closed and a large number of the people held a demonstration outside the offices of the DPO, operation, the DPO, investigation, and the DCO against rising crime rate in the city.

The protesters — including citizens, shopkeepers, office- bearers of the local chamber of commerce and NGOs and activists of political parties — were carrying banners and placards and chanting slogans against the local police.

The demonstrators blocked the Indus Highway, causing suspension of traffic flow.

Speaking on the occasion, the president of the jewellers association, Gul Mohammad, said that some thieves broke locks of the shops of three jewellers, Qurban Joyo, Talib Joyo and Abdul Khaliq Khushk, late Saturday night and took gold ornaments away.

He said that the police were informed about the theft incident but no police official bothered to visit the spot.

He said that crime rate had increased in the city for the last several days and the police had failed to control it.

The district police officer, Dadu, Ali Akbar Bhangwar, and TPO, Dadu, Gul Mohammad arrived at the site of the protest and assured the protesters that the stolen gold ornaments would be recovered and action would be taken against the SHO of the area.

Later, the DPO suspended the SHO, Dadu city police, Ghulam Sarwar Zardari, for failing to control crime in his area, and asked him to report at the police headquarters.

Zardari was replaced by inspector Mukhtiar Ahmed Sario, who was earlier posted at the Sehwan police station.