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Violence at Sindh Agriculture University over student's death
HYDERABAD, Feb 26: Seven vehicles, including point buses, were burnt and 19
others were damaged a mob went on rampage at the Sindh Agriculture University
Tandojam (SAUT) on Saturday following the death of a student and SPSF
activist.
Majid Rajput, 25, a final year student of crop protection
department and a victim of February 20 campus clash between the activists of the
Jeay Sindh Students Federation and Sindh People's Students Federation (Shaheed
Bhutto), died in the Hyderabad Civil Hospital's intensive care unit on Saturday
after remaining there for four days.
As soon as news of his death reached
Tandojam, hundreds of furious residents took to the streets, blocked
Hyderabad-Tandojam road and barged into SAUT administration block and garage.
They also burnt tyres on Tando Jam-Mirpurkhas road.
State Minister for
Food, Agriculture and Livestock Ghulam Mohammad Malkani was attending a seminar
on mango in a hall. Its doors were closed and the minister, professors, students
and journalists remained confined to the hall.
A heavy contingent of
police and rangers rushed to the spot later. Witnesses said that security guards
of the university resorted to aerial firing to disperse the mob.
Violence
broke out at 10 am and continued till around 1 pm.
At least three people
were injured in the violence but it could not be ascertained whether they
belonged to the university or not. Edhi sources said injured Khan Mehmood was
taken to the Hyderabad Civil Hospital. One Farhan, who received bullet injuries,
was also taken to the hospital but was later discharged. Another injured man,
Zaheeruddin, was admitted to the surgical ward.
Panic gripped entire town
of Tandojam as main bazaars and shops were closed. Traffic remained suspended
for several hours until police restored it.
Furious residents, including
activists of the SPSF-SB, smashed windowpanes of a bank, flower pots and the
reception of the administration block.
The torched vehicles included cars
of professors, university staff and growers, including one belonging to Sindh
Abadgar Board president Abdul Majeed Nizamani and two motorcycles.
DPO
Ali Ahmed Junejo said that two people, university security in-charge Ahmed Mangi
and Shahid Bhutto, one of the nominated accused in February 20 clash case, had
been arrested. The Tandojam police had registered a case against seven activists
of the JSSF: Shahnawaz Bhutto, Khalil Soomro, Asif Chandio, Nadir Soho, Mukhtiar
Chandio, Jalil Junejo and Farrukh Pathan -- under sections 324, 384, 147 and
148, PPC.
According to the DPO, TPO investigation (urban) Syed Amir Abbas
Shah and TPO (Tandojam) Mohammad Ali Baloch were also injured after they were
hit by sticks.
DIG police (operations) Shaukat Shah arrived at the
university where Rangers were also present. They went into a closed door session
with Vice-Chancellor Dr B. A. Sheikh and a university official, Khalid
Murad.
A pall of gloom hung over Mir Colony where hundreds of people had
gathered outside the residence of Majid Rajput. Hyderabad District Naib Nazim
Zafar Rajput also reached there to condole with the bereaved
family.
Talking to journalists, Shahid Rajput blamed university
administration for patronising and supporting extortionists. He held Ahmed
Mangi, the security in-charge, responsible for the February 20 incident, saying
that he had let the attackers flee after they smashed the head of his brother
with a blunt object.
He denied that Majid had affiliation with any
political party, including the Pakistan People's Party-SB. However, PPP-SB
leader Ameer Bux Umrani with a group of party activists reached Mir colony.
"Majid was one of our brave party workers. JSSF activists have decided not to
let anyone study in a peaceful atmosphere. Now they are trying to give the
incident the colour of an ethnic riot to save their skin", Umrani told
Dawn.
The DPO suspended Tandojam SHO Basheer Sarki and SP (investigation)
Khalid Mustafa Korai suspended its investigation in-charge Paryal
Solangi.
Meanwhile, the SAUT authorities told Dawn that the university
would remain opened.
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