Probe into alleged police brutality launched

An investigation has been launched into allegations of misconduct against several personnel of the Ghulam Mohammadabad Police Station.

The inquiry stems from an incident during which three people had been allegedly picked up by the cops from a paan-cigarette kiosk to “a private torture cell” where the suspects demanded of their captives to pay them Rs25,000.

Rana Waqas Ikram had sent an application to the Inspector General of Police in which Ikram, who works as a yarn dyer, recounted the events that had allegedly transpired on May 18.

He alleged that Zeeshan and Hasnain Ali had been present at a paan shop when policemen Nasir Dhillon, Zeeshan Gul Masih and Shehzad Jat entered the shop. Zeeshan Gul Masih allegedly snatched the mobile phones of Hasnain and Zeeshan and accused them of involvement in gambling.

Ikram further alleged in his application sent to the Punjab police chief that the police personnel conducted a search and subsequently took them to the room of ASI Imtiaz Jappa at Ghulam Mohammadabad Police Station, exhibiting disrespectful behaviour. In the room, they were thoroughly searched. During the search more than Rs59,000 was snatched, alleged the complainant.

Ikram alleged that the victims were then forcefully taken to a private torture cell where they endured physical abuse before being locked up in the police station for the night.

Ikram accused the four policemen of abusing their authority by unlawfully seizing their belongings and wrongfully detaining them.

In response to the serious allegations leveled in the application, the Punjab IGP called for a report from the City Police Officer.

Just a couple of days ago, a committee had been formed to inquire into the death of a young man in police custody in Lodhran.

Five days ago personnel from the Dhanot Police Station had arrested Adil in an alleged case of theft. He died at the police station on Tuesday.

The heirs of Adil launched a protest over his death in police custody. They had burnt tires to block the Lodhran-Kahror Pakka Road.

The heirs alleged that police had not allowed them to visit Adil since his arrest. They alleged that Adil had died due to police torture.

They appealed to the prime minister, the chief minister and the Inspector-General of Police for justice.

According to police sources, Adil had been allegedly involved in more than 10 cases of theft. They alleged that Adil had committed suicide by hanging himself with the drawstring of his Shalwar. They said that Adil had not been tortured in any way.

Adil’s postmortem was being conducted, and the report would make clear the cause of Adil’s death.

The DPO of Lodhran alleged that the suspect committed suicide since he (Adil) had been suffering from depression.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 29^th, 2023.