Cop ‘guns down’ fellow officer

Victim was a veteran official who had served for 37 years

GUJRANWALA:

A police constable allegedly shot and killed a sub-inspector in the police station over a bitter remark, while a Muharrar narrowly escaped serious injury. The accused constable was arrested.

The incident took place in Khayali police station, where Rana Shafeeq, who has served for 37 years and was recently promoted to the post of sub-inspector, returned to the station on Saturday after presenting an accused in court.

He directed constable Younis, who was on lockup duty at the time, to place the accused in the cell, upon which he allegedly misbehaved with the sub-inspector.

Sub-inspector Shafeeq the called Naib Muharrar Zubair and ordered him to place the accused in lockup.

Meanwhile, Constable Younis Gujjar started arguing with Shafeeq and drew his official sidearm and shot the sub-inspector. One bullet struck Shafeeq in the head, while the second bullet hit him in the shoulder, knocking him to the ground.

Zubair attempted to catch Constable Younis, upon which he opened fire on Zubair, narrowly missing him.

The Constable immediately fled the police station with the weapon in his possession. An ambulance was called and the sub-inspector was taken to DHQ hospital, where doctors pronounced him dead.

As soon as the incident was reported, SP City Rana Ghayoor Ahmad Khan, SP Civil Line Rizwan Tariq, SSP Investigation Usman Tariq Butt and SP Headquarters Mohammad Shahid reached the station. Forensic teams were also called and the station itself was for crime scene analysis.

CPO Rana Ayaz Saleem ordered an immediate inquiry into the matter and appointed SSP operations as an inquiry officer.

Sources claim that the Constable Younis Gujjar had been arguing with the deceased sub-inspector for several days.

Reportedly, the sub-inspector arrested an accused on suspicion of stealing a motorcycle but the constable advised him to release the suspect. Sub-inspector Shafeeq refused.

According to the police, the two policemen had a fight earlier this week, which they speculate caused the constable to commit the act.

The CPO immediately ordered the arrest of the accused and formed police teams accompanied by CIA personnel and the accused was nabbed ten hours later near his native village of Muraliwala.

A case was registered by SHO Mateen Dar against the Constable Youns Gujjar with Khyali police station under the provisions of murder. According to the autopsy report, the deceased sub-inspector was hit by four bullets, one of which hit his chin and exited from the back of his head, while the other three bullets hit his chest, shoulder and arm.

SP City Ghayoor Ahmad Khan stated investigations are being conducted and law is not allowed to be taken into one's hands. The deceased sub-inspector is survived by his six children.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 17^th, 2023.