Police booked over assault on relatives of Hattar fire victims

Haripur: Police in Haripur have registered a First Information Report against seven personnel, including the in-charge of the Farooqi Check Post, over allegations that relatives of a family killed in the Hattar fire incident were assaulted and injured.

According to police, action was taken on the orders of the Haripur district police officer, after which the check post in-charge, Head Constable Yousaf, was arrested. Police authorities said he has since been sent to judicial custody.

The case is linked to the aftermath of the Hattar gas pipeline explosion, which caused a fire that left eight people dead. Following the incident, allegations surfaced that police personnel used excessive force against the victims’ relatives.

A police spokesperson said Yousaf was taken into custody in connection with FIR No 208, registered under Sections 337, 148 and 149 of the Pakistan Penal Code. He is accused of severely assaulting Ahmed Ali, son of Nazakat Ali and a resident of Labour Colony, Hattar, who is the uncle of the children who died in the fire.

Police said Ahmed Ali was seriously injured in the alleged assault. It was further alleged that he was taken to the police station in a police vehicle and was later sent home after public pressure mounted.

Viral video and police response

During the developments, a video statement attributed to Head Constable Yousaf circulated on social media. In the video, he purportedly declared himself innocent and placed responsibility on senior officers.

Police, however, rejected claims that he had fled. Authorities said the video had been recorded before his arrest and clarified that he had not absconded.

Police officials further confirmed that Yousaf was produced before a senior civil judge in Haripur, who granted judicial remand, emphasising that the law applies equally to all, and that due process has been followed, with a formal FIR registered and the accused taken into custody accordingly.

Responding to questions about the circulation of the video statement, police reiterated that legal procedure had been observed in the case.

The FIR names seven police personnel in total in connection with the alleged assault on the bereaved family’s relatives after the deadly Hattar incident.