KARACHI: A man accused of stealing mobile phones from more than 50 girls after allegedly luring them to a farmhouse in Karachi’s Gadap area was thrashed by affected women during his court appearance on Tuesday, ARY News reported.
The Gadap police produced the arrested suspect, Babar alias Salman, before the Malir court in connection with the case.
The court premises witnessed a commotion as the affected women confronted the accused. Videos circulating on social media show the women slapping and beating him while police personnel struggled to protect him.
One of the women was also seen hurling abuses at the accused and repeatedly trying to hit him.
The women alleged that the suspect had lured them to the farmhouse with promises of employment before abandoning them in a deserted area and fleeing with their mobile phones.
“We are also someone’s daughters. Why were we subjected to such injustice?” the women shouted as they expressed their anger over the incident.
Police eventually managed to pull the accused away from the women and took him for further investigation.
According to police, the incident involved more than 50 girls who had arrived at the farmhouse in two buses. The event organizer, identified as Salman, allegedly told them that recording videos at the farmhouse was not allowed and collected their mobile phones before fleeing with them.
One of the affected girls told police that they had been invited to the farmhouse on the pretext of employment. They were promised food, Rs2,000 and training in setting up stalls.
The girls were allegedly told they would be taken to a private housing society but were instead brought to the farmhouse, where they were informed that their boss would hold a meeting.
The girl said their mobile phones were collected and receipts were attached to them. They discovered later in the evening that the phones had been stolen.
According to her statement, Salman fled on a motorcycle with another man, carrying the phones in a bag.
Police recorded the statement of the farmhouse manager and took him into custody. The farmhouse administration told police it had been informed that a corporate event was being organised, during which a boss would deliver a speech, and that the gathering would end in the evening.
The administration said it had not received payment for the event and confirmed that a man named Salman had taken the mobile phones and fled.
