PESHAWAR: The Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC) on Saturday ordered a judicial inquiry into the killing of three accused in an alleged police encounter after being arrested in connection with a bank robbery case in the jurisdiction of Michini Gate Police Station.
The court directed the judicial magistrate concerned to investigate the circumstances surrounding the killing and submit a detailed report after completing the inquiry.
According to the prosecution, three accused named Imad, Shoaib and Umar were produced before the court on May 19 in connection with a bank robbery on Warsak Road and the killing of additional station house officer Bahar Ali.
The court remanded the accused in police custody for six days to enable investigators to further probe the case and collect evidence.
The three men were accused of involvement in an attempted robbery at a private bank on Warsak Road, during which Bahar Ali was martyred in an exchange of fire.
The police stated that the suspects had been arrested by the cops of the Michini Gate Police Station and were later being taken to the crime scene for investigative purposes when unidentified motorcyclists allegedly opened fire on the police party and the suspects.
According to police, all three suspects, who were in custody at the time, sustained multiple gunshot wounds and died on the spot.
The police claimed that the attackers were accomplices of the accused and that the cops accompanying the prisoners also came under fire. However, the policemen survived because they were wearing bulletproof jackets.
Investigators also alleged that the accused were involved in another bank robbery case in which a security guard had been killed, and that further investigations were underway before the incident occurred.
Taking notice of the circumstances of the killing, the court ordered a judicial inquiry to ascertain all facts related to the incident and directed the magistrate to submit a comprehensive report after completing the investigation.
