Daily Times

LAHORE: A 63-year-old man committed suicide by setting himself ablaze over poor financial matters in Shafiqabad police station area on Wednesday.

The deceased was identified as Hanif, a resident of Mohallah Ferozpura Timber Market. Police said that Hanif was a former employee of Sui Northern Gas Piplines Limited and had recently gotten married. He was suffering from depression due to unemployment and other domestic issues. On the day of the incident, he again quarreled with his wife over their poverty and also exchanged harsh words with each other. Hanif got disheartened over the issue and sprinkled petrol on himself before setting himself ablaze.

Upon being informed, family members as well as locals gathered at the spot and tried to rescue him but he died on the spot. Police also reached the spot and started inquiry about the tragic incident.

Separately, the Lahore police is trying to cover up the Dolphin Force personnel for shooting dead a 14-year-old boy during an alleged encounter near Shadbagh area two days back.

The Shadbagh police also did not mention the name of the accused Dolphin Force personnel in the FIR and registered a case of murder against the unidentified persons. It worth mentioning that police claimed that unidentified riders opened fire on the Dolphin Force when they were signaled to stop and tried to escape. The police further claimed that the personnel of Dolphin Force also retaliated with the same passion on which the tyre of the car burst and hit a trolley.

Senior Superintendent Police Operations Muntazar Mehndi said that the Dolphin Force personnel chased the suspect who was involved in more than 100 heinous crimes in Multan and other districts of the province. He said that these criminals reached Lahore to commit more crimes in different parts of the city. He added that the police also recovered fake number plates and other items as well as illegal weapons from them, adding that that further investigation is underway and further action would be taken after postmortem and forensic report.

Eyewitnesses said that the unknown car riders did not fire on the police but the Dolphin Force personnel fired straight shots on the car and the innocent boy standing near the water filter plant received bullet shots in his neck and died on the spot.

They added that the police pulled out all the passengers of the car and fired shots at the wounded person. The witnesses said that police personnel also tortured the unarmed passengers of the car in front of the public and no one tried to shift the injured boy to a hospital or called forensic department to collect evidence on the spot.

Police said that top management will hold an inquiry committee to probe the incident soon, adding that the arrested “criminals” were shifted to an undisclosed place for further investigation.

The family members of the deceased said that they were poor people and did not know about law. They said that Salim was the only bread winner of the family. His father was experiencing serious health issues and they lived in a small house. They appealed to the Supreme Court chief justice to provide early justice and also take strict action against the responsible persons.

Published in Daily Times, May 31^st 2018.