Three cases registered against Ghotki rioters

SUKKUR: The Ghotki police have registered three cases against rioters who had taken to the streets to protest against an alleged incident of blasphemy a day before, Sukkur's Additional Inspector General (AIG) Jamil Ahmed said on Monday.

All first information reports (FIR) have been filed at the Ghotki A-Section police station with the state as the complainant. One FIR was filed under section 295 (injuring or defiling place of worship, with intent to insult the religion of any class), 147 (punishment for rioting) and 149 (every member of unlawful assembly guilty of offence committed in prosecution of common object) of the Pakistan Penal Code PPC.

AIG Ahmed said that Section 295 was included because the protesters had vandalized a temple. Police have nominated 45 people in the FIR, out of which 22 are named while 23 are unidentified. Another case was lodged against 150 people — 27 named and 123 unidentified persons — for blocking roads.

A third FIR pertaining to rioting and theft was filed against 23 people, including 11 unidentified persons, over reports that protesters had stolen goods from multiple shops in Shahi Bazaar. Police have asked the school administration to file a separate complaint against people who damaged the building and infrastructure, so that a fourth FIR could be registered. If the administration of the school is reluctant to act as complainant, it should inform the police so the case can be lodged on behalf of the state, the management was told.

In response to a question regarding the principal of the school, who has been accused of committing blasphemy, AIG Dr Jameel Ahmed said that he will be taken to court after the law and order situation had been assessed. Though the situation in Ghotki was relatively calm on Monday, shops in the Ladies Market, Shahi Bazaar and other areas remained closed. Sindh Information Minister Saeed Ghani reached Ghotki and said that an FIR of the incident had been registered and the suspect was under the custody of police. He promised a transparent investigation into the incident.