BAHAWALPUR - Gas thieves allegedly beat up a Sui Northern Gas Pipeline Limited team during a raid while the police have declared the incident fake.
SDO Engineer Saman Ali filed a complaint with City Police Station, saying, “On a tip-off, the SNGPL team reached Nawa Kot Road where gas was being stolen and disconnected the supply of gas to a consumer.” The team comprised the SDO, Sub Engineer Muhammad Umair, In-charge Rafiq Ahmad, EDC Hafiz Muhammad Umair and other officials.
“Meanwhile, Malik Muhammad Sadique, Malik Islam, Malik Rasheed and three others approached them and threatened to kill them. When Rafiq Iqbal tried to explain, they started beating him,” the SDO alleged.
He said that when Saman Ali tried to stop them, Afzal, Arif and Shahzad reached there with arms and surrounded the SNGPL staff and snatched the meter. They also set fire to the distribution line. When police were called they managed to escape, he said.
On the Nawa Kot Road, however, hundreds of people protested against the SNGPL staff and blocked the road. The team removed the meter of Sadique on the charges of tempering the meter.
City Police Station’s Investigation Officer Sub Inspector Chaudhry Muhammad Ilyas said that raiding team including Rafiq Iqbal tried to make up the incident and he himself shredded his clothes and also tried to injure him. The protestors said that they had repeatedly complained regarding the gas leakage but the officials did not pay a heed to the issue. They said that the staff was involved in the gas theft while the police had dismissed the case after investigation.