Cop killed by neighbour over minor issue

Arrested suspect injured by accomplices during crossfire

RAWALPINDI:

A police head constable was shot dead by his neighbour over a minor issue in Shah Khalid Colony within the Airport police limits.

Police arrested the accused who had fled after the murder the policeman.

According to police, Police Head Constable Muhammad Zahid, who was serving in the Murree Tourism Police, had an argument with his neighbour, Mir Afzal, after the victim threw water in front of his house.

According to the police, Afzal opened fire and a bullet hit the cop in the head which proved fatal. The accused had fled the scene after committing the crime but police arrested him later and shifted him to the police station.

Rescue 1122 teams and police personnel reached the scene and after collecting initial evidence shifted the body to the District Headquarters Hospital Rawalpindi for a post-mortem.

A Rawalpindi police spokesperson said that an investigation has been launched into the incident. He said that the police were recording statements of eyewitnesses to the incident.

The body of the victim was later handed over to the heirs after the post-mortem.

Meanwhile, a suspect, allegedly involved in cases of robbery and theft, was injured as a result of cross-firing between his accomplices and the police during an encounter in Rawalpindi’s Dhok Naju area when he was being taken for recovery of the looted property.

His accomplices managed to escape during the firing.

Sources said video footage of the suspect’s gang snatching gold earrings from an elderly woman walking on the road in October 2022 has also surfaced.

According to police sources, the New Town police reached the area of Dhok Naju with an arrested suspect, allegedly involved in robbery and theft cases, for identification of his accomplices and recovery of the property looted in different incidents.

“When they reached the spot, the accomplices of the accused opened fire at the police and the police also retaliated. As a result, arrested suspect Naqqash got injured while the other suspects escaped,” the sources said.

As soon as the information was received, police officials reached the spot and shifted the injured accused to the hospital and started a search operation to find his absconding accomplices.

 

Published in The Express Tribune, January 25^th, 2023.