KARACHI: Inspector General of Police Mushtaq Ahmed Mahar on Wednesday ordered an inquiry into the killing of a Sindh University student in an alleged encounter in Sukkur after the incident sparked outrage on social media and opposition parties in the provincial assembly demanded a judicial inquiry.

Mohammed Irfan Jatoi was shot dead in a suspected encounter in Sukkur on Sunday. The police alleged that he was a “notorious dacoit” wanted in connection with several crimes. However, his friends and social media activists rejected the police claim and said that he was taken away by the law enforcers from SU on Feb 10 and they killed him in their custody after almost a month.

According to an order issued by the IGP office, an inquiry committee was constituted to probe a case (FIR 11/2021) registered at the Jhangro police station in district Sukkur under Sections 353 (assault or criminal force to deter public servant from discharge of his duty), 324 (attempted murder) and 34 of the Pakistan Penal Code regarding an alleged police encounter that took place on National Highway near a fish farm at Mando Dero in which “one accused” was killed.

The order said the inquiry body was led by Additional IG Hyderabad Dr Jameel Ahmed and comprising DIG Mirpurkhas Zulfiqar Larik and SSP Kashmore Amjad Ahmed Shaikh.

Irfan Jatoi was shot dead in a suspected encounter on March 7

About the terms of inquiry, the police order said that it would “ascertain the genuineness or otherwise of the police encounter”. Besides, it would also “verify criminal history of the accused Irfan” killed during the encounter and ascertain any irregularities and criminal liability of the Sukkur police.

The committee has been directed to furnish a comprehensive report within seven days.

Meanwhile, the IGP Sindh and secretary, board of trustees of Szabist, Dr Suleman Shaikh on Wednesday signed a memorandum of understanding for the free admission of children of martyred policemen at the institute.

Another MoU was signed between police and Aisha Bawany Academy (ABA) trustee Ismail Ebrahim Bawany for providing scholarships to the children of martyred policemen.

Doctor manhandled

A senior doctor of the Liaquat National Hospital was allegedly assaulted by the husband of a patient whose eye operation caused some minor problems.

New Town SHO Safdar Brohi said on Wednesday that Dr Azam Khan, a senior eye surgeon at the LNH, submitted a written complaint stating that he had conducted the eye operation of a woman on Tuesday.

However, the operation reportedly resulted in some “scratch” on the patient’s eye. Her husband, said to be a government officer, allegedly assaulted the doctor at his office on Tuesday, the SHO said, adding that they had not registered the case as the doctor was reportedly engaged in talks with the other side and they expected that both sides would reach an “understanding”.

Published in Dawn, March 11th, 2021