Warden suspended over assault charge

Accuses complainant of abusing him.

LAHORE:

A student of Virtual University was allegedly beaten up by a traffic warden on Friday.

The injured student was taken to a hospital after he was given first aid on the spot. The warden was suspended by chief traffic officer (CTO) Syed Ahmad Mobin after the student registered an FIR against him.

According to Khurram Jabbar, 24, an MBA student, he was stopped by a traffic warden, Noorul Hasan, at Abid Majeed Road on Friday and asked for his driving licence. He said he showed Hasan the licence. When Hasan walked towards another car stopped by his fellow warden, he assumed that he was free to go and turned on his car.

“The warden rushed at me, and jumped into the front seat. He started shouting at me for trying to run away.”

Jabbar also accused Hasan of abusing him and punching him in the face.

He said when he tried to get out of the car, he was pulled back and hit in the head with a wireless. He said Hasan then fled the scene.

Jabbar then went to Sarwar Road police station to file a complaint, where the policemen called the Rescue 1122.

Rescue officials gave Jabbar first aid and took him to a hospital, from where he was later discharged.

Hasan told The Express Tribune that he had stopped Jabbar for using a mobile phone while driving.

He said when he asked Jabbar for his driving licence, he abused him and refused to produce the licence.

He said when he took out the fine book to issue Jabbar a slip, he tried to flee, but was stopped by another warden, by standing in front of his car.

He said the fight started when Jabbar abused him and shouted at him. Hasan said that Jabbar was inadvertently hit by the wireless while the two men scuffled.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 21^st, 2011.