LODHRAN: There seems to be no let-up in police torture cases in the province as another police official faced action on Friday after a video went viral, showing him torturing a man in the Jalla Arain Police Station area.

A video went viral on social media, showing Assistant Sub-Inspector (ASI) Mukhtiar Masood of the Jalla Arain Police Station torturing a man, identified as Jawan Mard, against whom a complaint was registered with the police station. Jawan was being tortured at the home of the complainant in presence of a large number of people.

According to a source, ASI Mukhtiar had arrested Jawan and brought him to the home of the complainant where the local people had also gathered.

As ASI Mukhtiar started beating Jawan Mard with a stick, some of the people present there tried to stop him.

ASI arrested for torturing man at complainant’s home

A man is seen saying to the ASI, “Don’t torture him here. The boys are making videos. You can do (to him) whatever you want to at the police station but don’t beat him here”.

Lodhran District Police Officer Malik Jameel Zafar reached the Jalla Arain Police Station and took action against ASI Mukhtiar. He lodged a first information report (FIR) against Mukhtiar and arrested him.

After taking action, the DPO told Dawn an FIR had been registered against Mukhtiar under the Police Order and he had been arrested. “Although the incident had taken place more than two months ago, it has come to my knowledge now and I took swift action against him (ASI).”

DPO Zafar said nobody, including a police officer, was above the law and whosoever committed an offence would face action.

An inquiry has also been launched into the incident under Lodhran SP Investigations Syed Abbas.

Published in Dawn, September 14th, 2019