HYDERABAD: Additional IGP Hyderabad region Dr Jamil Ahmed’s sons subjected low-ranked employees of local circuit house to humiliation as they tied them with a tree to “teach them a lesson” here on Wednesday evening.

Sindh works department’s employees Mohammad Raheem, Aman Lal (sanitary worker) and Waqar were later rescued by SP headquarters and GOR police station SHO on the orders of Hyderabad SSP Abdul Salam Shaikh after Sajjan Khaskheli, general secretary of provincial works and services union (CBA), shared the news with media.

Khaskheli arrived at the circuit house, where the AIG was residing, followed by SP Anil Hyder and SHO. The SP stayed outside the circuit house and the SHO went inside to rescue the poor men, said an official.

“The AIG’s sons are very unruly and arrogant and they humiliate the staff every now and then,” he said.

“We were tied with the tree as punishment as AIG’s sons objected to my smiling but before that we were thrown into a police mobile van,” said Mohammad Raheem, adding that it was not the first time he and other workers were disgraced. The AIG’s sons did not even spare policemen, he said.

“Police line’s launderer was made to wear uniform and sit on bonnet of police mobile van. Then the driver switched on ignition and put the vehicle into gear throwing the poor policeman off the bonnet. Luckily, he remained safe,” said Raheem.

Khaskheli said that Waqar was punished for having a shirt which did not have a button in collar while the sanitary worker was humiliated over petty reasons. Earlier, Waqar was made to stand in the sun as punishment over a petty issue, he said.

He said that Hyderabad SSP Salam Shaikh approached the union and requested not to protest on road. “We didn’t protest on road today but have suspended work over unabated incidents of humiliation of staff,” said Khaskheli and asked why this derogatory treatment was meted out to poor workers.

AIG stays in circuit house without rent

The AIG has been staying at a suite in the circuit house which was meant for Sindh chief minister since Aug 28 last year but he has not paid anything as rent, said an administration official. The civil administration charged Rs500 per night.

The AIG was not using his official accommodation in Hussainabad on the ground that it was not suitable for AIG Police Hyderabad region. Sindh chief minister had reportedly asked the Hyderabad administration earlier to ensure alternative accommodation was provided to the AIG and the suite was vacated.

The SSP did not offer any comment on the incident while the AIG denied charges against his sons and said there was no evidence to prove the staff’s allegations.

He said the incident had been exaggerated. There was some issue between the staff deployed on security and staff of the circuit house which his sons tried to resolve, he said, adding that no administration official had spoken to him.

Published in Dawn, April 2nd, 2021