TURBAT - Following the brutal killing of 20 labourers in Turbat, police on Sunday registered a case against Allah Nazar Baloch, the chief of banned militant organisation Baloch Liberation Front.
According to source at the Turbat police station, the case was registered against the banned organisation’s leader and his accomplices under anti-terrorism laws. Terrorists had killed the 20 men and injured three others when they opened indiscriminate fire at the labourers who were asleep in a camp set up at the site of an under-construction bridge on a stream. The victims belonged to different areas of Sindh and Punjab provinces.
Condemning the incident, Balochistan Chief Minister Dr Abdul Malik Baloch had claimed that terrorists, receiving funds from Indian spy agency RAW, were involved in the heinous act.
INP adds: As many as 13 labourers, who lost their lives in Turbat firing incident, have been laid to rest in Rahim Yar Khan whereas the bereaved families also offered the funeral prayer of five labourers in Tharparkar and two in Badin on Sunday. The bodies of deceased labourers have been buried in their local areas while hundreds of people attended their funeral expressing grief over this sad incident.
Earlier, gunmen had killed 20 construction workers in Turbat area of Balochistan, shooting them at point blank range after identifying they were not locals. The Baloch Liberation Front claimed responsibility for the incident.
Goran Baloch, a spokesman for BLF said the group would carry out more attacks.
Eight Levies personnel who were accused of fleeing when terrorists attacked the camp of labourers’ in Turbat have also been arrested.
INITIAL REPORT INTO TURBAT KILLINGS SENT TO PM
The Balochistan government sent the initial report of killing of 20 labourers in Turbat to Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif.
The report said that about 15 to 20 armed men launched the attack and killed the labourers with close range fire after identifying them that they were not locals. It said that the Levies personnel who were on security duty did not react to the attack by the gunmen. It said that investigation was going from eight levies personnel who were arrested after the attack.
The PM was further informed that a Joint Investigation team has been formed which will present its report in a week.
In Sadiqabad, the bereaved families of Turbat victim alleged the police officers of brutally beaten them up over staging protest. The relatives revealed that the police stressed to bury Mitho, a labour in Turbat, late at night resisting to which, security forces tortured Qamar and Liaquat over demonstrating protest.
Reports revealed that the order of beating the family was given by Senior House Officer (SHO) Muslim Zia.
MILITANT KILLED IN FIRE EXCHANGE WITH SECURITY FORCES
A suspected militant was killed in retaliatory action of security forces after attack on a security vehicle in Dera Murad Jamali.
Police said that a group of unidentified militants attacked the vehicle of security forces in Nouzband area of Sohbatpur in Dera Murad Jamali. However, the security personnel narrowly escaped in the attack.
The security forces appropriately retaliated to the attack, killing one of the assailants while forcing others to flee from the scene. Arms were recovered from the possession of accused killed in firing of security forces.
FORCES TO CONDUCT OPERATION IN MAKRAN
Security Forces have decided to conduct a grand operation in Makran Division Balochistan and 12 personnel of Frontier Corps have been called in Turbat.
More than 3,000 security personnel from Rangers, FC and local law-enforcement agencies will take part in the operation to be carried out under the supervision of DG Frontier Constabulary.
Media reports said that the decision of operation was taken after murder of 20 labourers in Turbat. Security personnel on tips off from intelligence agencies will operate in all five districts of Makran Division.