ATTOCK, July 2: In charge police post Fatehjang city was suspended while charge sheets to seven other policemen of the same post were issued by the District Police Officer (DPO) Muhammad Hilal Khan for allegedly torturing three brothers.

Police sources said on Monday that Safdar Hashmi, a resident of Fatehjang, lodged a complaint with the DPO that he and his family were heading to a local bus stand in his brother’s rickshaw on Sunday night when some unknown employees of General Bus Stand’s fee contractor had a scuffle with them on the rickshaw’s parking dispute.

On this, he and his brothers — Shahid Hashmi and Ajmal Hashmi (a physically challenged man) — went to the nearby police post seeking legal action against the accused, who had by that time also reached the police post. They tried to stop them forcibly from initiating any legal proceedings against them.

In the meantime, some officials of police post including its in charge attacked them at the behest of the rivals and later dragged them into the police post where they were manhandled, causing injuries to all the three brothers. However, on  information some local notables and mediapersons rushed to the spot and rescued them from the clutches of police officials.

The complainant demanded legal action besides initiating departmental inquiry against the accused police officials who misused authority.

Taking strong exception to the incident, the DPO suspended Sub Inspector (SI) Imtiaz and also issued charge sheets to seven other police constables, sources maintained.

He also issued orders for initiating a departmental inquiry and directed the Sub-divisional Police Officer (SDPO) Fatehjang police circle to probe the matter and submit its report at the earliest for further action, sources added.

On contact, spokesperson for the district police Malik Javed confirmed to Dawn that the incident had happened and added that inquiry was being conducted by the SDPO Fatehjang Haroon Rasheed.