Man jailed for beating up drunk Indian claims he was victim of attempted car theft

Pakistani says Indian was trying to steal his car so he attacked him in self-defence at Jebel Ali labour accommodation.

A 33-year-old Pakistani driver who got into a fight with a drunk Indian man at labour accommodation and caused him a permanent disability was sentenced to three months in jail.

The defendant had denied a physical assault charge and causing a 25 per cent disability, telling Dubai Criminal Court in April that he was the victim as the Indian attacked him as he tried to stop the drunk man from stealing his car.

“He was trying to steal my car, then when I caught him he attacked me and I had to defend myself, after which he ran [off] with some of my belongings that he stole. It’s ironic that I was the one who ended up in jail,” said the defendant in court.

The driver and the Indian, 48, were both charged with insulting each other at the Court of Misdemeanours, while the latter alone was charged with consuming alcohol without a licence.

The incident happened on May 15 last year at labour accommodation in Jebel Ali.

“I went to check on the incident when I was informed of it and found the Indian drunk and the driver pulling him and punching him on the head,” said a Pakistani security guard, 26.

The guard called police,who arrived with an ambulance that took the Indian to Rashid Hospital.

No details of the nature of the man’s disability were made available, neither was information on whether the Indian was convicted and sentenced for issuing insults and drinking alcohol.