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In a shocking incident of police brutality in Rawalpindi, a video has surfaced depicting a police officer brutally assaulting a young man inside a police station.
The distressing footage shows ASI Shehzad torturing the youth in the presence of other detainees.
The incident reportedly occurred at Waris Khan police station, where the youth had been taken into custody on charges of kite flying.
City Police Officer (CPO) Rawalpindi Khalid Hamdani promptly took notice of the incident and, in response, dismissed the police official involved, ordered his arrest and initiated legal proceedings against him.
Instances of police brutality in Rawalpindi have been on the rise, with this latest incident adding to the growing concerns about the conduct of law enforcement officers in the region.
The video reveals ASI Shehzad using a hammer to strike the detained youth on the head and body, accompanied by verbal abuse.
In a disturbing turn of events, ASI Baraish, another officer, is seen violently twisting the arm of another youth, causing him to fall in pain. The constable is then observed forcefully grabbing the young man's hair and beard.
Upon receiving reports of this serious incident, CPO Rawalpindi Khalid Hamdani took action, suspending ASI Shehzad and ordering an inquiry led by SP Rawal Faisal Saleem. Subsequently, a case was registered against the ASI under police orders.
Read: Preteen housemaid ‘tortured to death’
Rawalpindi CPO emphasised a zero-tolerance policy towards police abuse, underscoring the gravity of the situation.
It's noteworthy that this incident follows a previous case where the nominated Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz took notice of the mistreatment of a Taxila woman by the police, resulting in the dismissal of the responsible officer.
In another distressing incident in Sadiqabad, Rawalpindi, police and Dolphin Force personnel were captured on video torturing youths in public.
The incident, which occurred three days prior, involved the police and Dolphin Force personnel assaulting young boys on the street. The video also showed a mother coming out of her house to intervene and protect her children, while gunshots fired by a police officer added to the chaos.
After the video went viral, the police issued a statement claiming that the youths had resisted arrest, although this explanation surfaced only after public outrage.
Sadiqabad SHO Anwarul Haq was seen in the video arriving at the scene to restore order.
This incident marks the fourth instance of Dolphin Force and police personnel being involved in violence in the Sadiqabad police station area.
The police officials maintained that, on February 23, the accused youths engaged in aerial firing and resisted arrest during the Basant festival. As a result, six individuals were apprehended, and weapons were seized.
These incidents of police violence highlight a growing concern for the safety and rights of civilians in Rawalpindi, prompting authorities to take immediate action to address and rectify the alarming situation.
Published in The Express Tribune, February 26th, 2024.
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