Shopkeeper, cop friend held for beating man to death over cell phone’s dues

Police arrested the owner of a mobile phone shop and his companion for killing a citizen in District South on Saturday.

The incident took place near Cantonment Station within the limits of Frere police station. The deceased was identified as Ghulam Sarwar, son of Hussain Bukhsh, who hailed from Rahim Yar Khan.

Police officials said the incident took place when Sarwar came to the mobile phone shop of Rana Aslam and an exchange of hot words took place between the two.

According to SHO Chaudhry Saeed Akhtar, the shopkeeper along with his friend, Zubair, who is a policeman and works at the Counter-Terrorism Department, started beating him, claiming him to be a robber.

He said several other people joined them in beating the man up. However, police reached the site and rescued him.

The injured was moved to Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre, where he succumbed to his injuries.

The SHO said Sarwar used to purchase cell phones in Karachi and sell them in his hometown. He further said that the victim had taken a cell phone from the shopkeeper and was unable to pay the dues.

When Sarwar came to the shop and was unable to pay the dues, the shopkeeper along with his companion started thrashing him and claimed he attempted to rob his shop.

Police have registered a case against both the suspects on the complaint of the victim’s brother and initiated an investigation.