Inquiry ordered as CCTV footage emerges of police's alleged involvement in scuffle in Karachi's DHA

KARACHI: The South deputy inspector general (DIG) on Saturday said an investigation had been ordered after a video emerged of police’s alleged involvement in a recent scuffle between two apartment residents in Defence Housing Authority’s (DHA) Phase 6.

In the CCTV footage, a woman can be seen rushing down a flight of stairs with a dumbbell in her hand and charging at another woman before using it to hit her.

The video also showed two individuals in what appeared to be police uniforms restraining the woman being assaulted, and a man who came up the stairs shortly after and began arguing with the woman with the dumbbell.

At one point, the man and woman being assaulted manage to go inside what appeared to be their home, following which the woman with a dumbbell and another man begin banging on their door and yelling obscenities.

At the end, a man in a shalwar kameez can be seen using a weapon, provided by one of the people in uniform, to smash the CCTV camera.

After CCTV footage surfaced online of the incident, South DIG Syed Asad Raza told Dawn that he had directed the investigation officer to conduct a probe on merit and in an impartial manner. He said that both sides had levelled accusations against each other.

Meanwhile, a first information report (FIR) of the incident, a copy of which is available with Dawn, was registered at Darakhshan police station at 1:40am on Aug 21 on the complaint of a woman. The FIR offered a different version of events.

It invoked sections 354 (assault or criminal force to woman with intent to outrage her modesty), 504 (intentional insult with intent to provoke breach of the peace), 506 (criminal intimidation), 337A(i) (punishment of shajjah), 382 (theft after preparation made for causing death, hurt or restraint to commit theft) and 34 of the Pakistan Penal Code.

In the complaint, the woman described herself as a resident of the fourth floor of an apartment building, adding that a man, his sister and their mother — who resided on the third floor — came to their door and started kicking it.

The complainant alleged that the three family members hurled verbal abuses over a parking issue, and upon opening the door, began beating and threatening her.

Subsequently, local police arrived on the spot and took the brother and sister into custody on the complainant’s statement, while their mother fled, the FIR said.

In the FIR, the woman also claimed that the other side “snatched” her gold earring and two rings.

However, DIG Raza said that section 382 pertaining to the alleged removal of gold ornaments had been removed from the FIR as the incident appeared to be a case of assault.