PESHAWAR: Two police officials were arrested over the mysterious killing of a youngster here early on Monday.

A police official told Dawn that Mubashir Ahmad was shot dead on Dalazak Road area near the city railway station apparently by two Rider Squad personnel from the Faqirabad police station.

Resident Ziaullah formally complained the police that he along with friends Mubashir Ahmad and Mohammad Haris left their room in the Khyber Super Market area at around 12am to have snacks and tea.

He said Mubashir left the car they travelled in on Dalazak Road to relieve himself before returned within a minute or so at around 2am.

“I asked Mubashir to play music on car stereo but suddenly, I heard a gunshot followed by the cries of Mubashir complaining that he has received bullet injury,” he said.

The complainant said two policemen riding on a bike and holding arms in their hands showed up and directed them to take the injured to the hospital.

He said though he didn’t see anyone fire gunshots, the way the cops behaved made him believe that they had opened the fire.

Mubashir later died of the injuries at the Lady Reading Hospital at around 4pm.

In a statement, the police identified the detainees as constables Rustam and Roohullah and said the SHO of the Faqirabad police station had been also suspended following the killing.

They said city police chief Abbas Ahsan had tasked the SSP (investigation) with probing the incident and produce a report.

The police said the cops were presented before a local court, which allowed their three-day physical remand.

They said the detainees claimed during their initial interrogation that the deceased and his friends were playing music in the car very loud and didn’t stop the vehicle though the police issued repeated orders and flashed torch lights at the vehicle, so they used the force for the purpose.

The police said a transparent investigation into the incident would be conducted and any transgressing of the law wouldn’t be tolerated.

Complainant Ziaullah told reporters that Mubashir was his first cousin from maternal side and they belonged to Bannu.

He claimed that the police hadn’t signalled them to stop.

The complainant said he and friends had seen policemen on bike approach their vehicle before the latter fired a gunshots. He also said the car was also hit by bullets.

He said Mubashir had come to the city to sit a university entry test.

Published in Dawn, March 9th, 2021