Pakistan: Tribals attack police station over relative's death in jail

Islamabad [Pakistan], April 7 : Angry tribesmen attacked Kot Ghulam Mohammad police station in Pakistan's Sindh province, ransacked furniture and pelted policemen with stones in the wake of the death of their relative in Mirpurkhas central prison late on Wednesday night, Pakistan based Dawn newspaper reported.

According to Dawn, the protesters placed the dead body of the deceased Chanesar Khosa aka Dado Khosa outside the press club to record the protest before attacking the police station.

The under-trial prisoner Chanesar Khosa according to the jail administration, was rushed to Mirpurkhas Civil Hospital after his condition suddenly deteriorated. He died during treatment, said the jail officials.

They said the deceased was in jail in a narcotic case and was himself an addict. When the heirs received the body of their relative after post-mortem, they alleged that Chanesar had been tortured to death, according to Dawn.

They said the jail officials had demanded a huge bribe. When they refused to pay it, they tortured him to death. His body had also several marks of torture.

The heirs and relatives of the victims later brought the body to the press club and held a demonstration against the central prison administration. They demanded a high-level inquiry into the death and registration of murder case against jail officials.

After having their protest recorded at the press club, the protesters carried the body to the Kot Ghulam Muhammad police station where they pelted policemen with stones, ransacked and burnt the furniture, according to Dawn.

SHO and DSP of Digri later rushed to the police station and dispersed the attackers.

The Khosa tribesmen on Thursday blocked the Kot Ghulam Muhammad-Samaro road in protest, bringing the traffic to a halt. Heavy police contingents later rushed to the protest venue, bringing the situation under control by holding negotiations with the protesters. Police broke up the protest and opened the road for traffic.