QUETTA: Four personnel of Eagle Squad, a unit of the Balochistan police, were arrested on Thursday for allegedly killing a young man and injuring his cousin.

The incident took place on Wednesday night near a bus terminal at the Sariab Road area where personnel of the Eagle Squad riding motorbikes were deployed for patrolling. They opened fire on the 24-year-old man when he ignored a signal of Eagle Squad to stop his car.

After the incident, members of the bereaved family blocked Sariab Road for several hours.

Police quoted eyewitness as saying that Faizan Jattak was travelling along with his cousin Shahzad Jattak. When they were near Sadabahar bus terminal the personnel of Eagle Squad signalled them to stop, but they did not stop their car. The policemen opened fire, injuring Faizan and Shahzad. The car stopped after hitting an electric pole.

The injured were taken to Civil Hospital, Quetta, where Faizan died.

A team headed by a senior police officer has been set up to investigate the incident.

“All the four members of Eagle Squad allegedly involved in the killing of Faizan have been arrested,” a senior police officer said.

The bereaved family, however, claimed that Faizan had been killed at the behest of their opponent.

Published in Dawn, May 7th, 2021