KASUR: A mobile shop owner was hospitalised after being critically injured in alleged police torture at his shop in the Mobile Market, Railway Road, Kot Radha Kishan, the other day.

He was shifted to Lahore due to critical injuries.

Footage of the incident went viral on social media. It showed the shopkeeper, identified as Yousaf, in the chokehold of an assistant sub-inspector (ASI) behind the showcases of his shop. A group of traders is seen arguing with the policemen and protesting against the torture that had caused a head injury to the shopkeeper.

The shopkeeper was allegedly injured by the strikes of the butt of a gun during the raid.

Police register case against 40 shopkeepers for ‘attack’

The police wanted to take the shopkeeper away for investigation in a case but he refused to go with them, fearing his arrest, saying that he would himself come to the police station to join the investigation.

The police didn’t agree and allegedly tortured him. Hearing his hue and cry, other traders also gathered at this shop and protested against the police torture. They shifted him to hospital in critical condition.

However, on Sunday, Kot Radha Kishan police booked 40 suspects, 15 of them nominated, on charges of attacking police, tearing off their uniform, snatching cash and getting the suspect (shopkeeper) released from custody. The footage did not show any such happening.

The police FIR alleged that the suspect, Yousaf, was a member of Badho Meo Gang involved in pickpocketing and mobile snatching incidents. He had a mobile phone shop and would allegedly buy and sell snatched mobile phones after changing their IMEIs to conceal their identity.

According to the police allegations, on the disclosure of a suspected mobile snatcher and pickpocket, Ali Haider of Pattoki, Shaikhum police raided the shop of Yousaf who put up resistance, injured himself by breaking the glass showcases in the shop and tried to die by suicide. The suspect also raised hue and cry that alarmed other people who rushed his shop and got him released from custody.

Rescue 1122 shifted Yousaf to the Tehsil Headquarters Hospital, Kot Radha Kishan, in an injured condition where the doctors referred him to Lahore in a critical condition.

The video of the incident also went viral on social media. On Sunday, police lodged a case against 40 suspects on the complaint of Shaikhum SHO Raheel Ahmed.

Published in Dawn, November 2nd, 2026