MIRPURKHAS: The Rangers have been called out in the town to control the deteriorating law and order situation amid incidents of arson and sporadic aerial firing in different parts of the city after the death of a youth in police custody.

Some motorcyclists resorted to heavy aerial firing on Station Road, Lalchandabad and Hirabad areas, following which shops and markets were closed. Many neighbourhoods were partially closed as tension mounted.

Some miscreants ransacked the office of the Sindh People’s Students Federation (SPSF), located in Lalchandabad, and forced the shopkeepers to shutter their shops. They also set the SPSF office afire, which created panic in the area.

Shortly afterwards, the miscreants also attacked Taluka Municipal Administration’s offices and also ransacked the offices of at least seven UC Naib Nazims. The attackers also set ablaze the offices of Naib UC Nazims Jahangir Mughal, Zakir Ali, Qurban Shah, Raheem Buksh Baloch and Yawar Ali.

Heavy contingents of the Rangers, assisted by police, patrolled the streets to maintain law and order; however, no arrest has been made so far. District Coordination Officer (DCO) Muhammad Siddique Memon told The News that one platoon of the Rangers had been called out at the request of the district government to control the law and order situation.

Meanwhile, police have lodged cases of creating law and order situation, instigating the people, rioting and damaging police vehicles against more than 300 people, including PPP MPA Shamim Ara Panhwar and former general secretary of the District Bar Association, Salahuddin Panhwar.

The District Bar Association, in its emergency meeting, has condemned the police for registration of cases against Salahuddin Panhwar and Akhtar Ali and termed the move an illegal and mala fide act. They also strongly criticised DPO Mirpurkhas Altaf Bhatti for not controlling the law and order situation in the town effectively.

The bar resolved that the death of Abubakar Panhwer in police custody the other day was the result of highhandedness and a shameful act on the part of the police. The post-mortem of the victim was conducted at the Civil Hospital here on Wednesday. Civil Surgeon Dr Khadim told The News: "It was not a case of suicide." There are some indications that Abubakar had offered some resistance before his death.

He was strangulated with a string, he said. The death was caused by respiratory failure, he added. Meanwhile, unknown armed men opened indiscriminate fire on the residence of PPP MNA Syed Qurban Ali Shah in Satellite Town when Shah and his son were present in their home. The incident occurred despite the patrolling of Rangers and police.

Shah alleged that it was an apparent attempt on his life, but he and his son remained unhurt. Satellite Town police have registered a case against the unknown attackers on the complaint of Shah. Tension has heightened in the area following the incident, as heavy firing was heard in different parts of the city.