Drunk on duty: Police team suspended for harassing a singer and her team

The policemen were drunk, beat up the band and did aerial firing, says Deeba’s husband .

DADU: The entire team of Jhalo police station was suspended on Tuesday while an FIR was registered against the SHO who allegedly harassed and detained Sindhi folk singer, Deeba Sehar, and her team on Sunday night.

Sehar was on her way back to Tando Adam from Khairrpur Nathan Shah, where she performed at a wedding when Jhalo SHO Iftikhar Jamali stopped both of their vehicles. Jamali tried to touch Sehar which caused an argument between him and her husband, Sabir Hussain Khoso. The policemen beat up the singer’s team and also opened fire at them injuring Yaar Muhammad.

After she was released, Sehar filed a petition in District and Sessions Court Dadu against SHO Jamali and his team on Monday.

According to Sabir Khoso, the incident took place around 2:30 am on the Dadu-Moro Bridge.

Sehar, Khoso and her team were kept overnight at the police station and were released early on Monday morning.

“The entire police team was drunk and they insulted and tortured all of us,” said Khoso. “The SHO used abusive language, beat us and continued aerial firing. It is illegal for a policeman to touch a lady. We are deeply hurt by this behavior of the police.”

He said that Jamali released them on Monday morning with an apology, but only after he had threatened to kill them if they took up the issue. “He apologised in the morning and released us. But warned that he’ll kill me if we take up the issue,” he said. “He did not return Rs70,000, two mobile sets and other valuables to us.”

He said that culture minister Sassui Palijo and education minister Pir Mazharul Haq and others had called them to assure us of their support. “The FIR was registered but the SHO has not been arrested yet,” he said. “We’ll be satisfied with the government’s support if the entire team is arrested according to the law.”

Sehar demanded that SHO Jamali be arrested. “The police need to take action against their own colleagues. I am content with the steps taken and the assurance given by the government officials.”

Published in The Express Tribune, March 22^nd, 2012.