Residents protest police action

MANSEHRA: The tribesmen on Sunday blocked the Darband-Thakot Road to traffic for many hours after a cop dragged and slapped the driver of a free wheat flour distribution pickup vehicle in Judbah area.

The angry protesters blocked the main artery linking Mansehra, Torghar and Judbah districts to traffic at Judbah and chanted slogans against the police. “The driver of a pickup vehicle unloaded and supplied free flour bags to deserving families and the station house officer allegedly dragged him out of his vehicle and slapped publicly after he started shifting a share of other villagers to godown,” JUIF leader Farmanullah told the protesters. He said that they couldn’t allow anybody, even the police, to disturb the free flour distribution in the district.

“This flour is only meant for deserving families but police have been creating hurdles in its smooth and just distribution which is unacceptable to us at any cost,” Farman said.Assistant Commissioner, Judbah, Hasrat Khan and police officials rushed to the spot and held talks with local elders including Farmanullah, Zahid Khan and others and asked them to clear the artery for the traffic.