A 30-year-old man died at a police checkpost in Taxila on Saturday following an alleged assault by police personnel, triggering protests and prompting Rawalpindi police to initiate legal proceedings.
The incident occurred at the Gangu Police Check Post when the man, travelling from Khanpur towards Taxila, was stopped by police officers for a vehicle search.
According to the victim’s family and local residents, police personnel allegedly subjected him to severe physical violence during the search, repeatedly striking him with batons.
Family members claimed that the man pleaded with the officers to stop beating him, while children present at the scene also cried and appealed for the assault to end.
The family alleged that the man died at the scene as a result of the beating. The precise circumstances and cause of death remain subject to investigation.
News of the incident sparked anger among local residents, who blocked the Taxila-Khanpur Road and surrounded police personnel in protest.
Eyewitnesses reported that some protesters also assaulted police officers during the confrontation, leaving one policeman seriously injured.
Senior police officials arrived at the scene as tensions escalated.
Rawalpindi Police Spokesperson Inspector Sajjadul Hassan confirmed that legal proceedings had been initiated and assured that the incident would be investigated impartially.
“Legal proceedings are underway, and the matter would be investigated on merit to apprehend those found guilty of homicide,” he told The Express Tribune.
The spokesperson also confirmed that the Taxila-Khanpur Road, which had been blocked during the demonstrations, was subsequently reopened to traffic.
Authorities have yet to announce the findings of the investigation or confirm whether any police personnel have been arrested in connection with the man’s death.