Intoxicated by power, man threatens law enforcers

Video of influential person's son misbehaving with police goes viral on social media

HYDERABAD:

Do the young men in Sindh have the government's tacit permission to hurl abuses and threats to policemen and that too while standing inside police stations or at police check posts? If the answer is in the negative, then the leniency shown to the son of Saleem Bajari, a close aide of Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah, mocks the law.

Arsalan Bajari on Wednesday night misbehaved with the policemen of 15 Madadgar police in Qasimabad, Hyderabad. He shouted abuses and ridiculed the policemen while his police guards also joined him in threatening their own brothers in arms.

The incident was caught on camera and has since gone viral on social media. Later, under apparent public pressure and social media outcry, the Hyderabad police lodged an FIR. But the police spared Bajari's son, while nominating his three police guards.

The young man has been referred to as a relative of Bajari in the FIR lodged on the state's complaint at Qasimabad police station by ASI Azhar Ali Rahupoto, who is in-charge of 15 Madadgar in Qasimabad. The police constables, identified as Gada Hussain, Sarwar Lashari and Yaseen Lashari, besides one unknown person have been booked under Sections 353, 504, 147 and 149 of Pakistan Penal Code.

According to the complainant, they were conducting snap checking late in the night on October 29 near Ali CNG Station in Qasimabad. Around 1.45am on October 30, a vehicle approached from the direction of Naseem Nagar and it was seemingly heading towards the Sheedi Goth area.

He stated that the 15 police stopped the vehicle for checking. "The person behind the wheel rolled down the window and in a menacing way introduced himself as a relative of Saleem Bajari," he added.

"How dare the police stop my vehicle. I carry four ASIs like you in my dala [deck of double cabin]," the young man said. The complainant further stated that he explained to Bajari that they were conducting a routine checking but he became infuriated at his explanation and got down the vehicle.

He alleged that the accused persons pushed the cops. The accused can be seen in the video shouting at the policemen. Although the police dared to register an FIR, they did not name Arsalan arguably in fear of his father. No nominated person can either be arrested.