Mistaken identity: Drunken sub-inspector beats theft victim

Qayum was robbed at gunpoint while going back home after exchanging currency notes worth Rs600,000.

RAWALPINDI:

An intoxicated Cantt Police Station sub-inspector on Wednesday subjected a trader, who was robbed by dacoits on Mall Road in Saddar, to severe torture presuming him to be the suspect.

According to sources, Abdul Qayyum, a resident of Dheri Hassanabad arrived at Mall Plaza to exchange currency notes worth Rs600,000. As Qayyum was leaving the plaza to go back home, unknown robbers held him hostage at gunpoint before snatching the money and fleeing.

Qayyum went to the Cantt Police Station to lodge a complaint about the thieves, but Sub-Inspector Mehmood Shah, who was intoxicated, proceeded to beat him mercilessly.

Cantt Police Station SHO Faryad Hussain was then approached after Qayyum had appealed to the CPO to take notice of the issue. Hussain twisted the facts, alleging that Qayyum had arrived at Mall Plaza to exchange his Saudi riyals for Pakistani rupees.

Hussain claimed that a man had then approached Qayyum in his car as he was leaving, seeking his help to repair his own car’s punctured tyre. The unknown man then picked up Qayyum’s shopping bag containing the money as the latter stepped out of his vehicle, and fled the scene.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 30^th, 2013.