RAWALPINDI: New revelations have surfaced in the horrifying case of mob brutality from Gawalmandi, where a citizen named Haris was stripped, tied up, and brutally beaten after filing a complaint against the construction of an illegal scrap warehouse in a residential area, ARY News reported.
The violent assault, captured in a viral video, shows 8 to 10 men binding the victim with ropes and beating him with sticks, pipes, punches, and kicks, while hurling threats and abuses. The footage sparked widespread outrage on social media, prompting swift action from authorities.
According to investigators, the attack was carried out after Haris reported to local authorities that the warehouse was being illegally established and was allegedly being used for unethical and immoral activities.
His complaint led to administrative action against the site, a move that infuriated the warehouse owner, who allegedly called in armed men from his village to retaliate.
Police sources now confirm that a police constable from City Police Station was also involved in the crime. The officer was reportedly linked with the warehouse operators and participated in activities inside the facility alongside the accused.
During the attack, the suspects stripped Haris naked and tortured him mercilessly, before residents intervened, covered him with clothes, and shifted him to a nearby hospital.
However, officials revealed that the culprits later tried to cover up the crime by filing a false police complaint, accusing Haris of harassing a woman. They also threatened him to remain silent, and due to their influence, medical aid was delayed.
After the video aired on ARY News, Rawalpindi police launched an investigation, registering a case under the state’s complaint. The main suspect, seen armed in the viral footage, has been arrested, while two additional suspects have been identified, and raids are underway to capture the remaining men.
Senior police officials have ordered swift and transparent action and assured that all perpetrators — including any law enforcement officers found complicit — will face full legal consequences.
Authorities emphasized that vigilante behavior and abuse of power will not be tolerated, vowing to ensure justice for the victim and restore public trust.