Abusing authority: Constable accused of protecting criminals

MULTAN: An inquiry was ordered against a constable on Saturday for his alleged role in abduction of some children after residents of Basti Bashirabad Colony in Lodhran staged a demonstration in front of the DPO’s office demanding action against him.

Muhammad Rafique, a resident of Basti Bashirabad, said several girls from the village between the ages of eight and 16 years had been kidnapped by a gang. He said the men made videos used later to blackmail them. “This has been going on for six months and no action has been taken in this regard,” he said.

Mehar Faiz Bakhsh, another resident of the area said the constable was patronising the gang. He said the constable owned a house in the area where the kidnapped girls were kept.

He said the constable’s cousin was the head of the kidnap-and-blackmail gang.

The protesters chanted slogans against the constable and urged the chief minister to take notice of the situation.

Later, a police team led by DSP Abdur Raheem met the protesters and assured them that the matter would be investigated and action would be taken against the constable if he was found guilty. The protesters dispersed on getting the assurance.

A spokesman for the DPO told The Express Tribune that an inquiry had been ordered against the constable and a team had been formed to investigate the claims.

Published in The Express Tribune, August 14^th, 2016.