Six policemen fired for showing ‘cowardice’ in averting murder

HYDERABAD: Hyderabad’s senior superintendent of police has dismissed from service six policemen for their negligence and cowardice in averting a hotel brawl in Nasim Nagar on July 12, which led to death of Bilal Kaka and sparked violent protests by nationalists.

In separate orders of dismissal from service, the SSP Amjad Ahmed Sheikh said that the action had been taken after due process of issuance of show-cause notices and inquiry by a committee of officials.

He said that all the policemen were already placed under suspension in the wake of July 12 incident at Super Salateen hotel near a filling station. Kaka was killed and four of his friends were injured in the incident and a case was lodged under Sections 392, 324, 147, 148, 149, 337-H (ii), 109 PPC in Bhitai Nagar police station.

The SSP observed that the policemen were on duty as they could be seen in the video clip of the crime scene that went viral afterwards. Instead of intervening and stopping the criminals they just tarried along idly. People witnessed the policemen as they stood by as “coward spectators”, he said.

He said that Kaka’s life could have been saved if the policemen had not acted cowardly. The inquiry committee headed by Anil Haider, SP headquarters, with ASP Hasnain Waris, SDPO Market Rasool Bux Siyal and SDPO Qasimabad Makhdoom Ghulam Mustafa submitted report to him on July 21, noting that head constable Israr Ahmed and constable Ashok Kumar were not present at the crime scene.

But the SSP disagreed with the committee’s findings and said since charges levelled against them were serious, they were all dismissed from service.

The SSP told Dawn that the inquiry against two SHOs, Farhan Memon of PS Nasim Nagar and Ziyad Noonari of Bhitai Nagar, ASI Manzoor Babar and others would be conducted separately and disciplinary proceedings would be initiated against them, accordingly.

Bilal Kaka, a resident of Saeedabad, Matiari was killed on July 12 over a petty issue, involving the hotel owner and his son. Shah Sawar Khan and his brother Afzal Khan are among the four suspects police have arrested so far. Kaka’s murder fanned ethnic hatred between Sindh and Pathan communities and led to incidents of violence across the province.