Students file complaint over 'police abuse'

Viral video shows young men being beaten up by plainclothesmen

RAWALPINDI:

A group of students on their way to study at a clinic near Garden Villas on Adiala Road were reportedly subjected to harassment and torture at the hands of police officials.

The students were forcibly taken to the police post and tortured even under custody as officials continued to threaten them, demanding that they take no action against the police personnel responsible.

Later on, one of the students, Ahmed Ali, approached the Rawalpindi CPO during his open court session and reported the police officials for mistreatment. Getting his case registered with the police, he applied for departmental and legal action against the officers involved. A video of the incident in which the officials can be seen torturing the students has also surfaced.

In his complaint, Ali explained that he was on his way to the clinic with his fellows, Mehdi Raza and Aqeel. He noted that the one-way road they were crossing was open and locals were being allowed to pass after being checked at the Dahgal checkpoint. When he told the police officials at the checkpoint that they were going to the clinic, the police personnel, who were dressed in plain clothes, began arguing with them. They pounced on him, brutally beating him. The infliction of torture was also captured on video and posted on social media by a bystander.

Ali added that the officials then forced them into a car and took them to Adiala post, where in-charge Sub-Inspector Imran and police official Yasir tortured them and snatched four mobile phones from them which they did not return. They were kept in detention until 3am as the police staff continued to intimidate them with the threat of falsely charging them with a drug smuggling case if they tried to take any action against the police.

The students have demanded that Sub Sub-Inspector Imran, police official Yasir, special assistant to Saddar Beruni SHO, Malboos Farooqui and officials visible in the video which shows them being tortured should be held accountable.

In response to queries, a senior officer of Rawalpindi Police said that the students are known to be affiliated with a certain political party and the situation escalated after they asked the police to let them pass through the checkpoint.