Police file 3 cases against rioters in Ghotki for vandalism, theft and road blockage – Pakistan

Ghotki police recorded three cases against rioters who had taken to the streets to protest an alleged blasphemy incident the previous day, Sukkur (AIG) additional inspector general Jamil Ahmed said Monday.

All of the first information reports (FIRs) have been filed at the Ghotki section A police station with the state as the plaintiff.

A FIR was filed under Sections 295 (injuring or desecrating the place of worship, with the intention of insulting religion of any kind), 147 (punishment for disturbances) and 149 (each member of the illegal assembly guilty of a crime committed in the prosecution of a common object) of the Criminal Code of Pakistan (PPC). AIG Ahmed said Section 295 was included because the protesters had destroyed a Hindu temple. Police nominated 45 people in the FIR, of which 22 are named and 23 are not identified.

Another case was filed against 150 people, 27 named and 123 not identified, for blocking roads. A third FIR related to disturbances and robberies was filed against 23 people, including 11 unidentified people, for reports that protesters had stolen goods from multiple stores in Shahi Bazar.

Police have asked the school administration to file a separate complaint against people who damaged the building and infrastructure, so that a fourth FIR can be registered. If the school administration is reluctant to act as a plaintiff, it must inform the police so that the case can be filed on behalf of the state, the administration was informed.

In response to a question about the school principal, accused of committing profanity, AIG Ahmed said he will be taken to court after the status of the law and order has been assessed.

Although the situation in Ghotki is relatively quiet today, stores owned by Hindu residents at the Ladies Market, Shahi Bazaar and other areas remained closed. The delegations of the political parties visited Dhaam Mandir today, which had been destroyed by crowds, and expressed their solidarity with the Hindu community.

Party president Sindh Taraqi Pasand, Qadir Magsi, one of the politicians who visited the temple, requested a judicial investigation into the matter.

Protests and convictions

The protests began in Ghotki on Saturday after an FIR was filed against the director, who is from the Hindu community, of the Sindh Public School for the complaint of Abdul Aziz Rajput, the father of a student who claimed that the former had committed blasphemy.

Ghotki residents demanded that the police arrest the director, called for a closing strike and took to the streets in protest. On Sunday, videos of protesters with canes were shared on social networks, in which they were seen destroying a Hindu temple and damaging the school where the alleged incident occurred.

Protests were also held in neighboring cities, including Mirpur Mathelo and Adilpur, where protesters blocked the roads and demanded that the police arrest the school principal.

According to human rights activist Sattar Zangejo, the Hindu community in the area was forced to remain indoors due to the riots.

The police controlled the situation and put guards to protect the life and property of the Hindus. For support, they called a large contingent of Rangers.

Members of civil society convened a meeting and held a demonstration of "Paz Zindabad" to express solidarity with the Hindu community.

The violent episode was condemned by a leader of Sunni Tehreek, Mehboob Ali Sehto and Mufti Muhammad Ibrahim Qadri of Jamiat Ulema-i-Pakistan. They demanded that the authorities conduct a transparent investigation.

According to sources, the defendant was transferred to an undisclosed location for security reasons.