Vigilantes shave, degrade assault accused in grisly ordeal

A case of alleged vigilante violence and humiliation has surfaced in Chak 119-WB, where a man was subjected to inhumane treatment after being accused of attempting to assault a woman.

Police have registered separate FIRs against both sides and launched parallel investigations into the incident that has sparked widespread outrage on social media.

The incident occurred within the jurisdiction of Metroo Police Station, where several men, identified as Muhammad Munir, Muhammad Akram, Muhammad Yahya, Muhammad Javed and Muhammad Zahid, suspected their relative, a woman, had been targeted in an attempted assault by another relative, Muhammad Ramzan alias Peer Bakhsh.

Instead of reporting the matter to the authorities, the suspects allegedly abducted Ramzan from the locality and took him to their home. Once detained, Ramzan was reportedly subjected to physical torture and degrading acts meant to shame and humiliate him.

The suspects allegedly shaved his head, eyebrows and moustache, forced him to drag his nose across the ground and compelled him to lift a shoe with his mouth.

He was allegedly forced to drink urine. A video showing parts of this torture, particularly Ramzan rubbing his nose on the ground and holding a shoe with his mouth, quickly went viral, prompting widespread condemnation and swift action from law enforcement. Upon the video surfacing, Metroo police registered an FIR against Ramzan for the alleged attempted assault.

Simultaneously, a cross-version FIR was filed against the five suspects for abduction, violence, public humiliation and committing acts that violate basic human dignity.

Police have so far arrested three of the nominated suspects, while raids are ongoing to apprehend the remaining accused.

Meanwhile, Ramzan's family has refuted the allegations levelled against him, calling them "fabricated and politically motivated."