Rangers deployed in Golra after mob attack on police station

ISLAMABAD: Paramilitary troops were on Tuesday deployed in Golra in view of the tense situation after a mob attacked a police station with the intention of lynching a blasphemy suspect on Monday night.

Officials of the capital administration told Dawn that the deployment of Rangers at the Golra police station was made keeping in view the law and order situation.

The police succeeded in pushing back the attackers from the police station but only after using massive force and anti-riot gear, including teargas, they added.

When contacted, Additional Deputy Commissioner Quratulain Malik told Dawn that she had made a request for the deployment of Rangers on the direction of Deputy Commissioner Mohammad Hamza Shafqaat.

District admin assisted by QRF during operation, 21 suspects arrested, says DC

A letter written by Ms Malik to the Ministry of Interior stated: “In view of law and order situation in area of Golra police station and recent attempt to attack the police station by miscreants the situation warrants tightening of security of public property. It is therefore requested that the headquarters of Punjab Rangers (Punjab), Lahore, may kindly be approached with the request to deploy 500 personnel of Rangers at Golra police station in aid of civil administration to avoid law and order situation with command structure form May 18, 5am to onwards.”

The deputy commissioner told Dawn that a Quick Response Force (QRF) of the Rangers was assisting the local administration to maintain law and order in the area.

Besides, a search operation was launched with the assistance of the QRF which resulted in the arrest of 21 people who were involved in the attack at the police station, he added.

Sources said after the arrest of the blasphemy suspect by the Golra police, the area supervisory officers failed to take appropriate security measures.

A case was registered against the attackers under section 7 of the Anti-Terrorism Act (ATA) along with 324, 436, 427, 347, 353, 186, 148 and 149 of the Pakistan Penal Code (PPC).

According to the FIR, 22 nominated and around 200 unidentified people armed with batons, weapons and stones assembled in front of the police station and asked the police to hand over the blasphemy suspect to them. The mob pelted the police with stones and fired straight shots at them, it added.

They broke the gate of the police station and set vehicles, including an armed personnel carrier (APC), on fire and damaged the front desk. A constable sustained bullet injury while seven other policemen were injured after being hit by stones.

The mob also put a container on the road and blocked it, the FIR said.

Another case was registered under 295A, 298A, 298B and 506ii of the PPC against two persons. The FIR stated that one of the suspects committed blasphemy on May 15.

Later, the blasphemy accused and his brother came to the house of the two persons, who had filed the blasphemy case, on May 17 and threatened them and pelted their houses and a mosque with stones, it added.

Senior police and administration officers told Dawn that the police station attackers were Afghan nationals while the blasphemy suspect was a native of Haripur.

During preliminary investigation, the blasphemy suspect told the police that he had an enmity with the attackers and they had registered a false murder case against him. After his arrest, they occupied his house, a senior officer quoted him as saying.

When Deputy Inspector General of Police (Operations) Afzal Ahmed Kausar was contacted and asked about lack of security at the police station, he told Dawn that some people had met the SHO Golra and informed him about the issue. As a result, the SHO ordered his subordinates to arrest the suspect.

“People assembled and attacked the police station very abruptly so the SHO and other supervisory officers did not get a chance to take precautionary measures,” he added.

In such a case, a suspect should not be detained in a police station, the DIG said.

He said the police have also arrested the second suspect nominated in the FIR. They were produced in court which handed them to the police for interrogation.