–Pakpattan DPO suspends sub-inspector for manhandling elderly person outside shrine
VEHARI/PAKPATTAN: Eight policemen among 13 accused persons were arrested on Sunday as Regional Police Officer (RPO) took notice of the alleged torture of a woman in their custody in Vehari’s Ladan police station.
Upon RPO Waseem Ahmed’s directives, a case has been lodged against eight cops, including deputy superintendent of police (DSP), station house officer (SHO), CIA in-charge and muhrar, under sections 354, 337 and 342.
Vehari’s Superintendent Police (SP) Investigation carried out an initial probe into the incident. Police teams were making raids to arrest other suspects.
According to the victim, she was electrocuted and beaten in a torture cell, and later the police officials hanged her on stairs. She was accused of robbery by a landlord when police took her to the torture cell.
Reacting to the incident, Punjab Inspector General of Police (IGP) Arif Nawaz Khan said that the policemen involved in the torture of citizens deserved no leniency.
He said that in case of any misbehaviour with citizens, private lockup or custodial torture in any district, senior officers would be held accountable.
Later RPO Multan Waseem Ahmad Khan visited the house of the victim and assured her of complete cooperation and strict action against the accused policemen.
COP SUSPENDED:
Meanwhile, a police officer was suspended after a video of him manhandling an elderly man at a shrine in Pakpattan surfaced. The police officer identified as Sub-inspector Aijaz Ahmed was suspended on Sunday by the Pakpattan DPO and an internal inquiry was ordered into the incident.
Following this incident Pakpattan District Police Officer (DPO) Ibadat Nisar released a video statement on Sunday
“I wish to [clarify] that Punjab police and Pakpattan police consider themselves to be in service of the people. We consider all the visitors who come here to be our guests. It is our effort to facilitate their safety and security, their travel and time here,” said the DPO
“We have taken serious action against the unfortunate incident which took place yesterday. The sub-inspector involved has been suspended immediately and a departmental investigation into the incident has been launched,” he added.
Nisar ended his statement by saying, “The entire force has once again been briefed that in the Punjab police force, no one who demonstrates such behaviour will be tolerated and there will remain a zero-tolerance policy on this.”
Over the last week, several incidents of violence concerning police have been reported. On Sept 3, a suspect, Amir Masih, allegedly died in police custody. Post-mortem report claims he was tortured.
The incident was reported days after another suspect who was accused of robbing ATMs died in police custody in Rahim Yar Khan.
A video showing Salahuddin suffering physical and verbal abuse at the hands of two policemen generated widespread outcry.
Recently, a torture cell ran by police officials surfaced.
The torture cell was detected in a building of the forest department where nine suspects, including Amjad, were illegally kept by the police for ‘interrogation’.
The fresh wave killings in police custody and the torture by the cops was also condemned by the National Commission for Human Rights (NCHR), which had asked the police chief for an inquiry report into these incidents.