SHO suspended for detaining 45 in raid

Those detained included students, journalists, doctors, lawyers, an assistant director at a government department

LAHORE:

The Race Course SHO and five other policemen were suspended from service on Sunday for illegally detaining 45 people.

Late on Saturday, a police party, headed by SHO Rizwan Latif, had raided a private hostel near Patiala House. They detained 45 people, including students, three journalists, doctors, lawyers, an assistant director at a government department and three policemen.



The detained men were locked up at the Race Course police station. Their colleagues later staged a protest demonstration in front of the police station until they were released.

DIG Haider Ashraf took notice of the incident and ordered the Civil Lines SP to hold an inquiry into the incident.

Azeem, a student from Larkana, who was one of the detainees, told The Express Tribune that he was in Lahore to prepare for the CSS exams. “Late on Saturday, I woke up upon hearing a great commotion. I saw policemen kicking at the doors. They also seized me. I told them my name and showed my identity card. However, they beat me up and threw me into a police van.”



Published in The Express Tribune, November 30^th,  2015.