The suspect (C) in police custody. Social media photo

The incident took place in a village in Okara district of Punjab province, Pakistan.

In the video, the suspect, identified as Yaqoob, was seen tying the children upside down and then proceeding to brutalise them over their insistence to meet their mother. The suspect, a close relative of the family, was asked to look after the children.

Their screams of agony did nothing to deter Yaqoob who used a shoe to physically assault the minors.

Okara District Police Officer (DPO) Jahanzaib Nazeer took notice after video footage of the incident went viral. He directed officials concerned to arrest the culprit. On his directives, officials managed to trace the suspect. Yaqoob has been arrested and a case has been registered against him.

According to a senior official, the suspect was a close relative of the children and not a blood relative as was reported in the media. The district administration has recommended that the suspect be provided strict punishment.

The DPO maintained that the accused has confessed to physical assaulting the children.