Murree hotel workers thrash tourist

Complaints filed by both parties; CM Punjab takes notice

RAWALPINDI:

At least 10 members of a Murree hotel, including its manager, were booked after a video allegedly showing them beat up members of a tourist family went viral on the internet.

Punjab Chief Minister Usman Buzdar has also taken notice of the incident and has summoned a report on the incident from the Rawalpindi chief commissioner and the regional police officer (RPO).

Ali Tauqeer told police that he was visiting the popular hill station with his family on Saturday night. They went to a restaurant to have dinner where he had a heated argument with the staff. Tauqeer was then assaulted by members of hotel management to an extent that he had to be shifted to the Tehsil Headquarters (THQ) Hospital for treatment of his injuries.

A video recorded of the incident was posted online and has since gone viral.

Staff of #GloriaJean'sCoffees in Murree manhandled and tortured a family for using their washroom
Once an attractive place for tourists is rapidly falling into hands of a bunch goons, while local administration keeps looking the other way as usual.. pic.twitter.com/AHipEykRGW

— Sanam Jamali 🇵🇰 (@SanamJamali5) September 13, 2020

While talking to the media, the victim said that the hotel management started assaulting him over a trivial argument. He added that his wife kept screaming for help throughout the incident but no one came to their aid.

Tauqeer alleged that the hotel staff also beat the women members of his family.

A Rawalpindi police spokesperson, however, said that police teams rushed to the site soon after they received information about it.

He added that they have obtained the video recorded by the closed-circuit television (CCTV) cameras installed at the restaurant and that they are investigating the incident.

مری نجی ہوٹل پر سیاحوں اور ہوٹل انتظامیہ کے مابین تلخ کلامی اور لڑائ جھگڑے کا معاملہ،

واقعہ کی اطلاع ملتے ہی مری پولیس موقعہ پر پہنچی،nدونوں فریقین ہوٹل انتظامیہ اور سیاحوں نے پولیس کو درخواست دی ہے جس پر ضابطہ کی کاروائ کی گئ ہے،

— Rawalpindi Police (@RwpPolice) September 13, 2020

The official added that both parties have lodged complaints against each other, though further action will be taken in light of medical reports of the victim. The official said that nobody is allowed to assault, harass, or threaten another while assuring that the case will be probed on merit.

Meanwhile, Chief Minister Buzdar has ordered to bring the culprits to book.

 

Published in The Express Tribune, Septe0mber 14^th, 2020.