FAISALABAD, Jan 16: The Thikriwala police arrested more than 150 people, most of them industrial workers, during an 'operation' against screening and viewing porno movies on Thursday night.

Special teams headed by Thikriwala SHO and Saddar ASP raided more than a dozen tea stalls and shops in Chak 64, 66, 67 JB and adjoining villages of Thikriwala.

They stuffed the people sitting in the tea stalls, especially adjacent to the industrial area. They beat up those people who contended that they were not watching films but just stopped to have a cup of tea. A majority of the arrested people were poor daily wage earners working in powerlooms.

The police registered five cases against them under Motion Pictures Ordinance. Insiders said the SHO and other policemen released 50 of them after getting heavy bribes from their relatives. The policemen also snatched thousands of rupees in cash from them.

Meanwhile, all the arrested people were granted bail by a magistrate on Friday. Shakir, Naveed, Zafar, Bashir, Zulfiqar, Boota, Talib and Shakoor told this scribe outside the court that they were taking tea at stalls during break in their factories when police arrested them.

They alleged that they were beaten publicly and in the police station. The policemen had demanded Rs10,000 to Rs15,000 bribe for their release. They said they were poor and could not meet the demand that was why cases were registered against them.

Lawyers, councillors and Nazims of union councils criticized the police action against poor industrial workers. They urged the chief minister to take action against the policemen.