SHO beats up traffic warden for trying to issue him a ticket

Warden says he was on duty at Rawal Chowk when he saw a car driver using a cellphone while driving.

RAWALPINDI:

A station house officer on Wednesday allegedly beat up a traffic warden with help from his subordinates when he was stopped for a traffic violation.

In a written complaint to Chief Traffic Officer (CTO) Ishtiaq Shah, Khurram Nazir, 28, alleged he was beaten black and blue by SHO Ijaz Shah in the New Town Police Station for trying to issue him a ticket.

The warden said he was on duty at Rawal Chowk when he saw a car driver using a cellphone while driving. “I chased the grey Corolla, PW 902, as it went towards Benazir Bhutto Road,” the warden said.

Nazir said he managed to stop the car at Chandni Chowk, but the driver abused him and drove off. “Once again, I stopped the speeding car at Commercial Market and asked the car driver for his licence but he asked me to accompany him to a nearby police station.”

While he was parking his bike, five to six constables from New Town Police Station came out and dragged him inside. “The car driver and the constables slapped and kicked me and beat me with sticks,” Nazir alleged. He said he was told by the policemen that the driver he tried to stop at Rawal Chowk was their SHO.

He has appealed to City Police Officer Azhar Hameed Khokhar to penalise the officials of New Town Police Station.

The CTO forwarded the complaint to the CPO and Regional Police Officer Muhamamd Zubair.

SHO Shah, when contacted, denied the allegations levelled against him. “I have been on duty at Haidri Chowk since morning; I have not beaten any traffic warden,” he said.

Rawal Division Superintendent of Police Chaudhry Muhammad Hanif and CPO Khokhar were not available for comment.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 22^nd, 2012.