Police accused of protecting 'criminals'.

BATTAGRAM -- A local resident has accused police of protecting criminals, who had allegedly shot at and injured his son, damaging his spinal cord.

Gul Sadiq of Tandol Bala area of Allai, while addressing a news conference at the Battagram Press Club, alleged that about nine months ago his neighbours, Riaz and Khateef, attached him, his son and a brother. He said while he and his brother escaped the attack unhurt, his son received bullets, which damaged his spinal cord.

Afterwards, he said he went to the Banna police station to lodge a case, but the officials refused to do so.

Sadiq said he had taken his son to a hospital in Peshawar, where doctors said his spinal cord had been damaged, paralysing him for the lifetime.

He claimed the accused persons were roaming freely in the area, but the police...