A 14-year-old Christian boy has been beaten to death by police in Pakistan on Oct. 9. According to the reports, the boy was involved in a fight with a Muslim classmate who allegedly forced him to renounce his faith.
Arsalan Masih was a student at a private center in Jhabran Mandi village, Sheikhupura District in Punjab Province. His father Mushtaq Masih said about seven policemen from the Bahu Chowk Police Post arrived at the center in the evening and dragged his son out and beat him to death.
"Arsalan was attending his tuition classes at the Ideal Science Academy when Head Constable Imtiaz, Driver Rashid, Constable Arshad and some other unidentified policemen kicked open the door and dragged him out of the classroom," said Mushtaq, according to Christianheadlines.com.
"Sardar, alias Billu, a police constable, helped them to identify the boy. With this, they all started beating Arsalan with fists, kicks and rifle butts," he added.
Police also attacked the class teacher Farhan Ali who tried to stop the assault.
"Rashid struck Arsalan's head with a pistol, and he started bleeding," said Mushtaq.
"When they bundled him into the police van, Arsalan collapsed and died. Later the police team threw Arsalan's body on the roadside and fled," he added.
Arsalan, a member of the Presbyterian Church in Pakistan, was allegedly bullied every day for the last four months to renounce his faith.
"I did not know about the fight until recently," said Mushtaq.
"Arsalan had reportedly beaten up a boy whose uncle, Sardar alias Billu, is a constable in the Sheikhupura District police. Billu nurtured a grudge against Arsalan, and that's why he brought his police friends with him to teach the poor boy a lesson," he added.
Mushtaq has filed a complaint with the Sheikhupura Saddar Police Station against seven police officers, who are yet to be arrested.
