KARACHI, Feb 15: People carrying the body of a policeman who was allegedly killed in the old CIA Centre at Saddar late Friday night blocked the main road in Soldier Bazaar on Saturday and lit bonfires.
The protesters carried the body to the Governor’s House and dispersed after the police pacified them.
Policeman Mohammed Imran, aged 28, died after he suffered a fatal bullet wound in the office of the investigation wing of homicide - commonly known as CIA Centre Saddar - late Friday night. The police initially declared it a suicide and sent the body to Jinnah Post-graduate Medical Centre (JPMC) for post-mortem examination.
The medicolegal officers at the JPMC pronounced Imran dead on arrival and, after examining the body, declared that the policeman was killed and he did not commit suicide. Doctors were of the opinion that the bullet pierced through Imran’s back and exited through his chest. Doctors said the policeman could not have fired the bullet through his back.
The police, however, said Imran had his rifle issued after he joined duty and killed himself. Imran was usually on duty in the squad of the SSP Investigation Homicide, Manzoor Mughal.
Mr Mughal said: “We have registered a murder case (FIR No 23/2003) on the complaint of Zarina Abdul Mannan, Imran’s mother. We have also taken ASI Irshad into custody for interrogation in connection with the case.”
He claimed that the medicolegal officer distorted the investigation process as he declared Imran’s death a murder. Doctors were not the competent authority to declare whether a case was of murder or suicide. Their duty was to ascertain the cause of death whether death was caused by gunshot, a sharp-edged weapon, or a blunt weapon, etc.
Imran’s body was handed over to his mother. The family took the body to the house of Imran’s mother in Soldier Bazaar. After funeral prayers, people who were already enraged blocked the main road in Soldier Bazaar. They pelted moving vehicles and shops with stones and lit bonfires. The road block continued for more than 45 minutes. Sensing law and order situation, shopkeepers pulled their shutters down.
The protesters then moved towards the Governor’s House, but the police stopped them at Fountain Chowk near the Governor’s House. The police pacified the protesters, who were demanding the arrest of the suspected killer/killers.