Man in Chitral tries self-immolation over alleged police highhandedness

CHITRAL: A man from Bakrabad tried self-immolation by sprinkling kerosene on his body near the Chitral police station on Wednesday. However, he was saved by onlookers and shifted to the District Headquarters (DHQ) Hospital where doctors stated his condition to be out of danger.

Talking to the local media at the hospital bed, the injured, Habib Ullah, son of Mast Khan, said a few days ago a electricity meter installed on a pylon in front of his house at Bakrabad was stolen for which the police held him responsible. He said for the last three days the police had been harassing him by calling him to the police station every morning and letting him go only in the evening. He said he earned a living for his family by working as a motorcar mechanic and the police action had deprived him of his livelihood in the holy month of Ramazan. He said due to the police attitude, he wanted to kill himself.

Taking action on the complaint, District Police Officer (DPO) Mansoor Aman suspended the station house officer (SHO), Hyder Hussain,  and ordered an inquiry into the incident under the supervision of Additional Superintendent of the Police Noor Jamal. The committee will submit its report to the DPO within five days.

An official of the police station claimed that no injustice had been done with Habib Ullah and he was just called to the police station and questioned about the theft of the meter installed on an electric pole in front of his house. He was being asked to help the police in tracing the thief if he had any information because the meter had been installed on a pylon in front of his house. But he tried self-immolation in the bazaar in order to tarnish the image of the police, he added.

Talking to the local media, the additional SP and DSP Farooq Jan said the person had a number of options to redress his grievances. If he had a complaint against the SHO and other staff he could have approached the DSP or file an application with the office of the DPO. To facilitate the citizens, contact numbers of police officers have been publicized throughout the city to contact them in case of any complaint, they added.

The police also claimed that Habib Ullah had a criminal record available with the police and his bid to commit self-immolation also showed his criminal mentality. The police said after the completion of the inquiry, the man would be proceeded against on the charge of trying to commit suicide. ChitralToday.Net