FAISALABAD: Police shot at and injured two schoolboys who were taking pictures with a toy pistol on the Susan Road on Monday. The condition of one of them is critical.

Police alleged that the boys were robbers, claiming that a pistol was recovered from them.

The boys, identified as Farhan, 15, and Fahad,14, were reportedly taking pictures to post them on Facebook with a toy pistol when Faryad Husain, the station house officer (SHO) of Peoples Colony, opened fire on them without any warning. Both the boys were injured and they were taken to the district headquarters (DHQ) hospital by police who reportedly escaped after realizing that they had made a mistake and that the boys were not armed robbers. Both the boys are students of a private school.

The injured Fahad told the reporters that Farhan and he were taking pictures when the SHO reached there along his subordinates and opened fire on them immediately after leaving his vehicle.

Police said the SHO received a call that some armed robbers were looting people on the Susan Road. When police reached the spot, the armed men opened fire on police which was retaliated. Two robbers, including Farhan Iftikhar of Peoples Colony, sustained injuries while their accomplice managed to escape, police alleged.

Published in Dawn, June 23rd, 2015

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