Mian Habibur Rehman, a suspected terrorist with ties to banned terrorist groups Harkatul Ansar and Jaish-e-Muhammad (JM), died of a heart attack at the Layyah DHQ Hospital on Thursday.
The news of Rehman's death sparked violent protests by angry supporters of the banned organisations who called Rehman, who had been in police custody, a 'martyr' and alleged that he had died of police torture.
The angry mob of around 800 protesters, led by JM Central General Secretary Abdullah Shah Mazhar, forced shopkeepers to close shop, and later took control of Layyah city railway crossing and tried to disrupt railway operations. The mob resorted to throwing stones when police tried to hold them back, and police retaliated with a baton charge and shelling.
The exchange of stone pelting and tear gas shelling continued for five hours until
Layyah District Coordination Officer Javaid Iqbal and District Police Officer Muhammad Azam successfully negotiated with the protesters. As a result of the negotiations, three of Rehman's accomplices -- Shamsur Rehman, Muhammad Saleem Buzdar and Attaur Rehman were released from police custody.