SHO suspended for torturing suspect

SHO Badami Bagh was suspended over allegedly torturing a citizen in police custody and forcing him to call himself a dog and bark. The incident came to light after the accused filmed the incident, uploaded the footage to social media and it went viral.

The victim was identified as Ashfaq alias Chan Gujjar and was arrested by police over drug dealing charges. He allegedly posed resistance to police, driving SHO Rai Asif Asif Jabbar to allegedly torture and to humiliate him.

The SHO made Ashfaq bark like a dog and also filmed a video, which was uploaded to social media and later went viral.

The SHO was suspended by DIG Operations Afzal Ahmed Kausar, who ordered SP City to inquire into the matter and submit a report immediately.

IGP Punjab Faisal Shahkar took notice of the incident and stated that departmental action had been initiated against him. Meanwhile, CCPO Lahore Ghulam Mehmood Dogar sought a report of the incident from SP City after the video came to light.

The CCPO added that a complete and transparent investigation of the matter is being conducted. Exceeding authority and humiliation will not be tolerated at any cost and strict action will be taken against those who did this inhuman act, he added.

Published in The Express Tribune, October 7^th, 2022.