950805

Demo against

HMC worker

death in

police custody

RECORDER REPORT

HYDERABAD: Thousands of Christians including women and children marched on the main thoroughfares of the city and Latifabad sub-division and staged a big demonstration in front of SSP office, and the Hyderabad Press Club here on Saturday to protest the alleged murder of Javeed Maseeh in police custody at PS "B" section in Latifabad.

The agitated demonstrators shouted slogans against the government, local administration and police and beating their breasts. They also carried black flags and banners and wore black arm bands.

Addressing the demonstrators, the Christian leader Nazeer Maseeh, Rufin Wilson, Saleem Bhatti and others accused the SSP of sheltering the ASIs Sardar and Azeem Durrani and others policemen involved in the cold blooded murder of Javeed Maseeh and demanded immediate registration of FIR against them.

Javeed Maseeh, a Sanitary Worker of the Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (HMC) was arrested by "B" section,Latifabad police from his residence in Christian Colony, Latifabad Unit No-5 along with four others some three days back of their alleged involvement in the theft case. Javeed Maseeh was allegedly serverely tortured to death at the police station on Thursday-Friday night.

The Christian leaders refused to take the body of Javeed Maseeh which is lying in mortury of Civil Hospital until an FIR was registered against the accused with their arrests.

The HMC workers particularly Sanitary staff have also supported the Christian community and had excused the general public for non-cleanliness and non-removal of garbage from the city and Latifabad.

Later, addressing a press conference, the leader of action committee and former HMC councillors, Rufin Wilson, Nazeer Maseeh and Yunus Gul announced a three days of mourning for the deceased and threatened to launch a countrywide movement if the murderers were not arrested and an FIR was not registered against them.

They said ASI Sardar had old enmity with Boota Shahbaz as the ASI had developed illicit relations with one Ms. Nadira who resided in the colony and Boota had reprimanded the ASI not to visit the colony again.

The Christian leaders further said that at the instance of Dr. Masood Tariq, Adviser to the Sindh chief minister, ASI Sardar was transferred but he was re-posted at the same police station on the recommendations of the then SHO Raqibullah Khan.

They said that after the arrest of Javeed Maseeh, ASI Sardar again came to the colony with two police mobiles and took away a TV set, A VCP, 50 cassettes, Rs. 25,000 cash, heater and other items from the house of Boota Shahbaz in his absence.

They said on August 3 at about mid night, ASI Sardar again came to the colony and arrested two more persons Ashiq and Samuel and also looted the household goods.

They alleged that a bottle and chillies were put in the anus of Javeed Maseeh as a result of which Javeed died at the police station while one more accused Ashiq also received serious injuries and has been admitted to Bhittai Hospital.

They said such sort of treatment was a worst example of human rights violation which defied all human values and religious teachings.

They also demanded the payment of Rs. 5 lakh compensation to the bereaved family of Javeed Maseeh and Rs. 50,000 to injured Ashiq.