MITHI: An employee of a coal-mining company operating in Tharparkar was arrested on Tuesday after a video showing him harassing a Hindu boy and forcing him to abuse idols of his religion went viral on the social media.

Police swiftly moved into action to arrest Abdus Salam Abu Dawood, a resident of Khoski town of Badin district and serving in the mining firm as a driver, as the video drew a strong reaction from social media users.

Tharparkar SSP Hassan Sardar Niazi held a news conference in his office along with Deputy Commissioner Mohammad Nawaz Soho to announce that Abu Dawood was arrested in Khoski after an FIR against him was registered at the Mithi police station for “insulting, humiliating and torturing Mukesh Bheel and hurting religious sentiments of the Hindu community”.

He said it was registered under Sections 295-A and 298 of the Pakistan Penal Code on behalf of the state. He said Mithi SHO Inspector Mohammad Soomar Mangrio lodged the FIR.

The SSP said that directives were issued to all police officers in the district to locate and arrest the suspect as soon as leaders of the Pakistan Hindu Council reacted strongly and approached him for action.

He said the suspect had confessed to his crime but argued that he was provoked by the foul language used by the boy while they were passing through a road.

The video in question shows the extremely nervous boy being humiliated by the suspect for being a Hindu and made to abuse idols and his parents. He is seen begging for mercy as well.

The arrest of Abu Dawood came after Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah and senior government officials asked the Mirpurkhas DIG to take prompt action.

Mukesh Bheel told the media on Tuesday that the incident had taken place about 15 days ago when he was subjected to torture, humiliation on religious grounds by the man [Abu Dawood]. He revealed that his tormentor himself filmed the episode and posted it on his Facebook wall. He said he was returning to Mithi by his motorcycle from his native village, Railo Rind, when he was intercepted by the suspect near the shrine of Chhutto Faqir on Mithi-Islamkot road.

Reacting angrily to the episode, President Dr Arif Alvi took to Twitter and strongly condemned it. He said he had directed the interior secretary and Sindh IG to get the suspect arrested.

“Our Constitution ensures equal rights, freedom and security. How dare anyone in this country violate our laws in such manner,” he tweeted.

Published in Dawn, July 28th , 2021