Lahore police arrest two suspects in separate assault cases

Lahore police arrested two suspects in separate assault cases on Friday, including a man accused of attacking a petrol pump worker in Jubilee Town after being asked to stop smoking near fuel dispensers, police said. A second suspect was arrested for allegedly assaulting a female student on Mazang Link Road after a traffic dispute.

Who did Lahore police arrest in the assault cases?

Police arrested Idrees Bhatti in the petrol pump attack in Jubilee Town and Ghulam Mustafa in the assault on a female student in Mazang. Both men remain in custody. Police said the cases were traced using security camera footage, and investigators are preparing them for court proceedings.

What happened at the Jubilee Town petrol pump?

The Chuhng police arrested Idrees Bhatti after the alleged assault and death threats in Jubilee Town. The Lahore Police Operations Department said in a post on X that the dispute began when an attendant asked Bhatti not to smoke near the fuel dispensers, where a cigarette could pose a fire hazard.

According to police, Bhatti attacked the unarmed worker before fleeing in a luxury vehicle. Investigators used security camera footage and vehicle-tracking data to trace the vehicle, which was later found to be a rented SUV.

During a targeted raid, Bhatti allegedly resisted the police team but was subdued and arrested. Officers also recovered an illegal weapon from his possession. The Chuhng police registered a criminal case following a complaint.

What happened on Mazang Link Road?

The Mazang police arrested Ghulam Mustafa, who is accused of assaulting a female student riding a motorcycle on Mazang Link Road following a minor traffic dispute. Police said the confrontation escalated from verbal abuse to physical violence.

Mustafa allegedly attempted to snatch the student's mobile phone and damaged her laptop during the incident. Investigators used closed-circuit television footage and motorcycle registration records to identify and trace him. Police also added legal provisions relating to robbery and harassment to the first information report.

How did police and the public respond to the arrests?

Deputy Inspector General of Police Operations Faisal Kamran said the rule of law would prevail in Lahore and that no one was above the law. He said police were following a zero-tolerance policy against road rage, harassment and other unlawful behavior.

He added that people who attempted to misuse their influence would face strict legal action. The two arrests prompted condemnation on social media, where citizens called for strict action against people accused of endangering public safety and engaging in violent behavior.