Villagers block road to protest killing

HARIPUR: Residents of village Bandi Seeran here on Saturday blocked the main road to protest the killing of a three-month-old child and non-cooperative attitude of the police.

Chanting slogans against the police, the protesters accused the SHO Kot Najibullah Police Station of failing to respond in time and arrest the culprits.

Police quoted Zeeshan Ali, 26, father of the deceased child, as saying that his sister Irshad Bibi had developed a dispute with her husband Riasat Khan, a resident of Taxila, and was staying with them in Bandi Seeran village. He added that on Friday night Riasat Khan along with his accomplices came to his house and opened indiscriminate fire on the inmates. As a result, his son Azan Ali received bullet injuries and died on the spot.

He also accused Riasat of beating the women of the house a day earlier. After the incident, charged protesters put the body of the child on the road and blocked it for traffic. They were demanding early arrest of the culprits and action against the policemen involved in negligence.

The attackers could have been arrested on the spot had the police responded on time, a protester said. The protesters dispersed peacefully when DSP Kot Najibullah, Ejaz Khan, reached the spot and assured them of early arrest and inquiry against the policemen.

Meanwhile, a criminal case was also registered against Riasat Khan and seven others under section 302, 109, 148, 149.