rawalpindi - Stern departmental action is being expected against the former Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) New Town Circle and SSP

(Operations) Rawalpindi by Inspector General of Police (IGP) Punjab after the regional police chief submitted a report against the two cops for killing a suspect and injuring another man in an exchange of fire during a police raid in Sadiqabad area, sources disclosed on Wednesday.  IGP has suspended the DSP New Town Circle Malik Afsar while Regional

Police Officer (RPO) Wisal Fakhar Sultan Raja has served SSP (Operations) Irfan Tariq Khan with a letter of displeasure for keeping senior officers in the dark about the protest on Murree Road by relatives of the deceased. The deceased is identified as Syed Zahid Hussain and injured as Syed Usama.  They said RPO had also dispatched a report to IGP in which he highlighted the negligence of the both police officers for not visiting the crime scene or trying control the situation when the relatives of deceased staged a protest by placing the dead body in the middle of the road.

RPO, earlier, had also suspended SHO PS Sadiqabad Yasir Kiyani and six other officials for carrying out a raid on a house in Sadiqabad to arrest Syed Zahid for his involvement in a fight with a milkman and opening indiscriminate firing, killing Zahid and injuring another resident Usama.

On the other hand, SP Potohar Syed Ali, who has been appointed as the inquiry officer for the crime has visited the crime scene and recorded the statements of the relatives and other eyewitnesses, sources said.

They said the SP also called on the investigation officers of police who dealt with investigation soon after the incident and recorded their statements. Sources claimed SP Syed Ali may submit his fact finding report with RPO today (Thursday). Meanwhile, ex-DSP Malik Afsar told The Nation that he dealt with the situation in a lawful manner after the incident. He said he rushed to the crime scene and negotiated with the protesters and registered FIR against the raiding party on the complaint of the victims’ family. He said he phoned acting CPO/SSP (Operations) Irfan Tariq Khan and informed him about the incident but the SSP, who was present at his residence in Islamabad, refused to visit crime scene on Muree Road. He said he continued to update RPO about the situation. DSP alleged SSP of sending a wrong report to RPO against him to save himself from the departmental action. Malik Afsar said he would approach Lahore High Court against SSP and his suspension by IGP. SSP (Operations) Irfan Tariq Khan, talking to The Nation, also claimed that he performed his duty as per the law.