OF late the Punjab police have come up with a new mantra to justify extrajudicial killings. In the past fortnight as many as seven suspects have been killed by `accomplices` Logically and going by reports published in newpapers, it is rather difficult to believe that the suspects would kill their own colleagues.
For example, the report datelined Kasurand published on May 16 said the Pattoki police claimed they tried to intercept six suspects on motorbikes during a snap checking near the Motherkey village. The suspects, instead of stopping, opened indiscriminate fire` and managed to escape.
As if to show their alacrity and speed, the police caught up with the suspects who, they claimed, took up positions in the fields and continued firing on the cops who retaliated.
When the firing stopped, the police recovered two injured suspects who, they claimed, died on way to the hospital. The police also claimed that the suspects were killed in firing by their own accomplices.
Furthermore, another escaping suspect was also killed in `friendly fire` Such unwarranted behaviour by the Punjab police is indefensible. They should know that they cannot fool people by dishing out such stories. Various human rights organisations have regularly raised their voices against this kind of extrajudicial killings, but apparently it seems to have little effect either on the police authorities or the Punjab government.
