OKARA: A division police have registered a case against two women and as many men for torturing two female polio workers and their area in charge during polio campaign in Ayub Park locality of the city on Thursday.

As per the First Information Report (FIR), polio workers Ms Farhat Batool and Ms Farah Deeba were administering vaccine drops in Ayub Park where a family refused to get the children vaccinated.

As the female polio workers insisted on administering the vaccine, suspects Ali Akbar, Mubashir, Razia Bibi and Nadia Bibi (wife of Akbar) allegedly misbehaved with them, dragged them by hair and subjected them to torture.

When the polio workers called their area in charge, Sanitary Inspector Azeem Faheem Bhatti, for help, the suspects tortured him too.

On the complaint of area in charge, city assistant commissioner, Deputy District Officer-Health Dr Ahmad Kamal and a police team led by ASI Muhammad Sarwar, arrived there.

However, the suspects fled the scene before the officials arrival.

On the report of the area in charge, the police registered a case against the four suspects under section 354, 342, 506 and 186 of the Pakistan Penal Code (PPC).

Meanwhile, a woman employee of the population welfare department and a lady health worker (LHW) were allegedly beaten by a rickshaw driver over a petty issue when they were returning home after administering polio vaccine drops at Haveli Lakkha.

As per the FIR, population welfare department helper Tahira Saleem and LHW Asima Ashraf were on their way home after performing their duty as polio vaccinators, when near Mohallah Pir Islam they had an argument with a rickshaw driver, Zahoor Ahmed, over the fare.

After an exchange of harsh words with the women, the suspect allegedly started beating them and also dragged them on the road, the FIR said.

As the victims raised hue and cry, some locals rushed to rescue them, making the suspect flee the scene.

On the report of Tahira Saleem, Haveli Lakkha police registered a case against the suspect under sections 354, 506 and 509 of the Pakistan Penal Code (PPC).

Published in Dawn, May 3rd, 2024