Cop ‘kills himself’ over demotion

Abdul Hameed allegedly committed suicide after being demoted for not arresting absconders.

FAISALABAD: Chowki Bhai Wala ASI Abdul Hameed allegedly committed suicide on Friday. Police officials took the body in custody and sent it for an autopsy. According to police officials, ASI Hameed was recently demoted in a meeting held at Nishatabad for not arresting absconders and for failing to register cases for illegal weapon. On the other hand, Hameed’s sons accused the police of having killed their father because he had exchanged harsh words with the SSP (Operations) over his demotion. The SSP said that news aired by TV channels stated that Hameed had committed ‘suicide after he was reprimanded by a thanedar’. “The Nishatabad Circle DSP sent a report against ASI Hameed to the SSP. After which the said thanedar was “issued show-cause notice and sought a reply in seven days,” the SSP said. ASI Abdul Hameed was deployed in Millat town police station and reportedly shot himself on December 31.

When contacted, the DSP and SSP said that they were not responsible for Hameed’s death and that they regretted his suicide. “Punishment and reward are how the police system is run. He failed in his duties and that was why he was demoted. This wasn’t personal,” the SSP said.The Faisalabad DSP said that commendatory certificates were a routine matter, adding that the SSP has issued 138 commendatory certificates and cash prizes to officials on showing efficiency and had issued 38 show-cause notices this year. “We can’t be held responsible for how some police officials react to their demotion,” the DSP said.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 1^st, 2011.