MULTAN: The video of torture of a private college teacher went viral on social media on Sunday, showing five to six youths involved in the incident.

On the other hand, Multan police said the teacher had forgiven the suspect they had arrested on the day of registration of the case (Nov 8) and produced in the court of the magistrate.

A video went viral on social media on Sunday, showing a man being pulled down from a motorcycle by five/six young men, beating him with sticks and shoes. The man shouts, telling them that he was a teacher. However, they continue beating him. One of them says, “You had beaten me” and the victim says he had not done that. The 30 second clip ends while the man is still being beaten. The victim as well as those doing torture can be identified in the video.

Police say the victim had reconciled with the suspect before magistrate

The victim was later identified as Muhammad Ijaz, a resident of Chowk Shaheedaan. He had lodged a first information report (FIR) of the incident with Cantt Police Station on Nov 8, stating that he was teacher at private college and some days back, he received a call from an unknown number.

He said the caller, identified herself (name given in FIR) and told him that she had got his number from one of his students. He stated that the girl had requested him for tuition for few days for subject of economics; however, he refused while stating that he had not enough time. He said she repeatedly made calls with the same request and on Nov 1 over the insistence of the girl, he agreed to give her tuition.

The same day, as soon he reached near the address (Bukhari Colony) given by the girl, he made the call to her to inform that he had reached and she told him to wait as her brother was coming to receive him.

Meanwhile, three young men came on a motorcycle. One of them introduced himself as Hamza Khan and complained that during a function, he (teacher) had pushed him so he should now face the music.

Ijaz alleged that the suspects were drunk and he could not resist as one of them was armed with a gun. He alleged that the young men deprived him of Rs20,000, made the video of the torture and threatened to make it viral.

Cantt police investigating officer Muhammad Shafi said the police had lodged the FIR on Nov 8 and arrested one of the suspects on the same day. He said when they produced the suspect before the magistrate next day, the complainant (Ijaz) submitted an affidavit with the magistrate while forgiving the suspect. He said that now after the suspects had made the video viral and the chief minister had taken the notice of the incident the police were going to arrest the remaining suspects.

Ijaz told Dawn that he was forced to give the reconciliation statement before the magistrate but now when the CM had taken notice of the incident, he wanted action against the suspects. He said that he was satisfied with the police progress who had assured him of complete protection.

Published in Dawn, November 25th, 2019