Four cops suspended for thrashing citizens

DIG Operations orders inquiry against policemen on media reports

LAHORE: Three officers of the Police Response Unit (PRU) were suspended over torturing two motorcyclists at Thokar Niaz Baig on Sunday.

Three men identified as Sharjeel, Abdul Qadir and Hassan were travelling on a motorcycle when a team of law enforcers signalled them to stop at a makeshift picket. The motorcyclists, however, sped away and the police started giving them a chase.

The suspects were once again intercepted after a chase of two kilometres. Two of the men, Hassan and Abdul Qadir, were detained but the third man, identified as Sharjeel, fled the scene leaving behind the motorcycle.

The policemen started beating the two arrested men brutally and handed them over to the Sattokatla police later.

This episode of brutal torture was recorded by a passerby with his cellphone camera and given to a news channel. After the news was aired, DIG Operations Dr Haider Ashraf suspended the four police officers involved in the incident and ordered Saddar Circle Deputy Superintendent of Police Irfan Butt to hold an inquiry and submit his report in the next 24 hours.

The suspended policemen were identified as head constable Bashir, constables Shabbir, Ashraf and Ali Akbar.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 23^rd, 2017.