LAHORE: The officials of the newly-established Police Response Unit (PRU) tortured two citizens at Thokar Niaz Baig on Sunday, exposing the claims of Capital City Police regarding ‘change in Thana culture’.

Taking notice of the incident, the DIG operations suspended four officials from service.

In mobile phone footage, aired by various news channels, the policemen are seen torturing two youths in public. They use kicks and punches against the youths before bundling them into their vehicle.

Four cops suspended over the incident

The footage also shows the PRU officials first chasing the youths who were on a motorcycle and rounding them up near Thokar Niaz Baig. They nabbed the suspects as they tried to escape on foot, leaving their motorcycle on the road. The footage further shows the PRU officials torturing the two youths.

The officials later took the suspects to the Sattukatla Police Station for interrogation.

Mujahid Force Superintendent of Police (SP) Faisal Shehzad told Dawn the PRU officials had signaled the suspicious motorcyclists to stop at a check post but they did not do so and escaped. He said the PRU officials chased the motorcyclists and nabbed two of them near Thokar Niaz Baig while their accomplice, who was carrying a bag, managed to escape.

He identified the arrested suspects as Hassan and Adul Qadir and their absconding accomplice as Sharjeel.

After the footage was aired by news channels, Deputy Inspector General (DIG) Operations Dr Haider Ashraf took notice of the incident and suspended four PRU officials from service. The suspended policemen were identified as Head Constable Bashir and constables Shabbir, Ashraf and Ali Akbar.

The DIG also directed the Sadar Circle Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Irfan Butt to hold an inquiry into the incident and present a report within next 24 hours.

SP Faisal Shehzad said the PRU officials were punished for misusing authority but the police were checking the criminal record of the arrested suspects while their absconding accomplice would also be held at the earliest.

He said the initial reports submitted to him revealed that the motorcyclists did not stop when they were signaled by the PRU officials for checking which had raised suspicion against them. However, he added, no one was allowed to thrash or torture citizens and suspects.

Published in Dawn, January 23rd, 2017