BAHAWALNAGAR - The Chishtian DSP Sunday stirred up a "controversy" by implicating Tehsil Municipal Corporation chairman, 38 TMC employees and 16 journalists trumped-up charge of inciting violence and 'agitation' against police, .
The power abuse by a police drew severe criticism and condemnation.
According to details, a team of Chishtian Tehsil Municipal Committee (TMC) was attacked with scissors and knives during an anti-encroachment drive on Saturday.
As a result, TMC employees including Naseer, Tahir, Mehmood, Nasrullah and Anjum sustained severe injuries. The police reached the spot and arrested two of the assailants but released them few hours later. It stirred protest in the area as the TMC employees gathered on Highway Road and blocked the road for traffic in protest against the police.
The protest continued for several hours and Chishtian DSP Jawad Sakha had to negotiate with the protesting people who agreed to disperse after assurance of registration of a case against the attackers.
The police booked six assailants and arrested three of them. The police also arrested two mediamen - Amir Jutt and Muhammad Ahmed - covering the attack on TMC employees. They were held hostage illegally in police custody and were subjected to severe physical torture.
It angered local journalists and they gathered at police station at which the Chishtian DSP released the in-custody mediamen on assurance that they would not publish news stories, concerning police torture on them.
The promise, however, could not be fulfilled as condition of one of the two journalists deteriorated and he was rushed to THQ Hospital Chishtian. The news, consequently, spread like a wildfire across Chishtian tehsil and was aired by some private news channels.
On Sunday, the police, in revenge, booked TMC Chairman Abdul Razzaq Ramay, 38 TMC employees and 16 journalists on trumped-up charge of inciting violence and 'agitation' against police.
Several attempts were made to seek comment of the DSP, but he did not attend phone calls.
The TMC chairman expressed his anger over the police highhandedness. He flayed dictatorial behaviour of the DSP, urging the police high-ups to take notice of the situation. He threatened to go on pen-down strike along with the TMC employees if the police officials are not punished for the misuse of power.
On the other hand, the local journalist community passed a resolution, condemning fake FIRs against the mediamen. They demanded Punjab IG Police Arif Nawaz Khan transfer of the Chishtian DSP for implicating mediamen in false cases. They announced boycott of the coverage of police until action against the DSP is taken.