Three policemen sent to jail for killing citizen, injuring another

A judicial magistrate on Thursday remanded three policemen to jail for allegedly killing a man and injuring another after mistaking them to be robbers.

The South district magistrate sent police constables Imran Habib, Muhammad Imran and Sarfaraz to jail on judicial remand for two days, and told the investigating officer to file an interim charge sheet in the next hearing.

In the morning of August 7, Muhammad Aslam lost his life and Waqar suffered injuries on II Chundrigar Road after the policemen allegedly shot at them assuming the two men to be robbers.

The deceased was a passer-by and the injured was one of the two men whom the constables mistook as robbers, according to the Mithadar police. The incident prompted the authorities, including Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah, to take action. Subsequently, the three policemen of Madadgar 15 were arrested. The weapons used by the constables were also seized.

“Waqar was driving his motorbike with me riding pillion,” said Waqar’s friend Noman. “The policemen standing next to a parked mobile shot at us when I took out my mobile phone. As a result, my friend was wounded and a passer-by was killed.”

According to witness accounts, the victims had raised their hands after seeing the policemen, but the law enforcers still shot at them without giving any warning. No weapon was found on the injured.

Noman said he had raised his hands too and shouted “we are not criminals”. He said that after the incident the cops escaped, abandoning their police mobile. The body and the injured man were taken to the Dr Ruth KM Pfau Civil Hospital Karachi. Later, a heavy contingent of law enforcers arrived on the crime scene and started their investigation. District City SSP Muqaddas Haider has been appointed the inquiry officer.

The CM has ordered a detailed report on the incident from Sindh police chief Mushtaq Mahar, warning him that such incidents will not be tolerated. A video filmed by a citizen after the firing incident purportedly shows police officials carrying weapons and a frightened man standing with raised hands.

A case was registered against the three policemen of the Mithadar Madadgar 15 on the complaint of Waqar. Sections 302 (premeditated murder) and 324 (attempt to murder) of the Pakistan Penal Code have been cited in FIR No. 287/20, which was registered at the Mithadar police station.