Free lunch: Policemen accused of thrashing restaurant owner

'I told them that I could not afford to serve 24 people for free. The SHO then directed his men to thrash me.'

LAHORE: An additional district and sessions judge on Saturday fixed December 9 for arguments in a petition seeking the registration of a case against the Shahdara SHO, three assistant sub inspectors and 20 constables accused of forcing the petitioner to serve them a free meal.

Qasim Ali said a few days ago, SHO Qamar Abbas, three ASIs and 20 constables visited Kashi Tikka Shop and placed an order for food. Ali said that they told him that they would not pay for the food.

“I told them that I could not afford to serve 24 people for free,” he said. “The SHO then directed his men to thrash me.”

He said that neighbouring shopkeepers intervened and stopped the police.

Ali said the officials had threatened to implicate him in false cases if he did not serve them free food. He asked the court to direct the police to register a case against the Shahdara SHO and the men who thrashed him and threatened to implicate him in fake cases.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 1^st, 2013.