Police station attacked in Tehkal

PESHAWAR: Angry protestors attacked the Tehkal Police Station here on Friday as protests entered the third day against the indecent video of a citizen who was tortured by the cops in custody.

The Yakatoot Police Station was also attacked on Thursday night by unidentified people who fired shots at the building. No casualty was reported in the incident. An official confirmed that the mob attacked the Tehkal Police Station and set on fire a motorbike parked outside. Police fired teargas shells to disperse the mob. The protesters were angry over the indecent video of a young man Radiullah alias Amir in custody of the Tehkal Police Station. The disturbing video showed the young man being stripped naked, tortured and humiliated.

Amir was arrested after he abused senior and junior officers in a video that went viral on the social media. People criticised him for the language he used and shared jokes when the police released his second video after his arrest in which he offered an apology. On Wednesday morning, another video of Amir went viral on different social media forums in which he was seen stripped naked and humiliated by three or four policemen. This made thousands of people on social media angry, who demanded an immediate and strict action against all those involved. Protests were also held outside the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly. Heavy contingents of police along with armoured personnel carriers were deployed to protect the assembly building and other establishments in the area. The protestors pelted stones at the policemen deployed in the area and chanted slogans against the inhuman treatment meted out to Radiullah in custody. Some policemen were also wounded when hit by stones thrown by the protestors. An official of the Capital City Police said 30 protestors have been arrested for taking the law into their hand. He added those arrested included armed men as well as Afghan nationals. The official said nobody will be allowed to violate the law. A judicial inquiry has been ordered into the incident after public uproar. The senior superintendent of police operations Zahoor Babar Afridi was replaced on Wednesday while the station house officer of Tehkal was suspended. An assistant sub inspector and two constables have been arrested and a case lodged against them. The videos first triggered an uproar on social media and later people started taking to the streets in different parts of the province to stage protests.

Apart from many political figures from the ruling and opposition parties, the new senior superintendent of police operations Mansoor Aman visited the residence of Amir and met with his brothers to express their sympathies and support. The SSP assured them that justice will be done in the case. Many have been criticising the government of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), the elected members and the senior officials of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Police for their failure to handle the situation and stop protests that are continuing for last three days. They have been asking the government and the KP Police chief to take immediate and effective measures to maintain law and order and stop the situation from further worsening by ensuring justice to the family before it is too late.