'Melon extortion' lands cops in hot water

In a brazen incident of police high-handedness, four cops forcibly took fruits from a street vendor — and when he protested, they hurled abuses and threats and seized his weighing scale. The police high-handedness might have gone unnoticed like scores of such incidents, had it not been filmed by an onlooker.

The video clip immediately went viral on social media, forcing police high-ups to take departmental action. The four cops involved in the incident belonging to Shahrah-e-Noor Jahan police station have been suspended and further departmental action has been ordered against them. The incident took place on a street vendor near Qalandria Chowk.

As per details, the policemen, who were riding in a police mobile van, were caught on camera using foul language, making threats, and seizing the vendor's weighing scale. The vendor, who was accompanied by his young daughter, protested and requested that the police at least ask before taking the melons.

After the viral video triggered public outrage, SSP Central Zeeshan Shafiq Siddiqui launched an investigation and took decisive action. The officers involved in the incident have been identified as Constables Zafar, Zulfiqar, Naseem, and Abdullah, the driver of the police mobile. SSP Siddiqui condemned the officers' behaviour, saying that such actions are unacceptable and harm the reputation of the police force.

The vendor, who was visibly distressed, said that the officers should have at least asked if he was willing to give away the melons for free. When the vendor protested, one of the officers aggressively responded, claiming that the melons were being taken for personal use at home. Despite attempts by bystanders to intervene, the cops left the scene with the items they had taken.

Following an internal inquiry, Officer Zafar was dismissed from service, while the other three officers remain suspended pending further departmental proceedings.