PESHAWAR: A First Information Report (FIR) was registered on Wednesday against suspended Station House Officer (SHO) of Urmar Police Station, Ijaz Khan, for killing a "petty criminal" — whose complaint had resulted in the suspension of the SHO a day earlier.

Earlier on Wednesday, at least three policemen were shot dead and six others were injured in a gunfight with suspected militants in Urmar area.

Later, a police team led by Sub Inspector Ijaz Khan conducted a raid in the same area and shot dead Muhammad Islam claiming that he was involved in the earlier attack on police.

However, after Islam's killing, local residents protested against the "staged encounter", calling for an FIR to be registered against SHO Ijaz.

The protesters alleged that Islam was involved in "petty crimes only" and was killed illegally by the SHO since the deceased had filed a complaint which led to the suspension of Sub Inspector Ijaz.

According to SHO Ijaz's suspension letter — a copy of which is available with DawnNews — Inspector General of Police (IGP) Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Nasir Khan Durrani had suspended the Sub Inspector on September 1 after Muhammad Islam filed a complaint alleging that the SHO Ijaz while posted as Incharge Police Post Bazid Khel had illegally confined him in lock-up and extorted Rs15,000 from him.

A screengrab of SHO Ijaz's suspension letter.

In his complaint Islam had stated that he was released on the guarantee that he would buy the Sub Inspector a mobile phone.

Following the protest by locals against Islam's killing, an FIR was registered against SHO Ijaz for killing Islam whereas an FIR was registered against unknown persons for the murder of three policeman.

When asked how SHO Ijaz carried an operation while he was suspended CCPO Mubarak Zeb said that the suspension order had not been delivered to Ijaz as yet.

Earlier, Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Operations Mian Saeed told DawnNews that a contingent of police was carrying out a search operation in Urmar when suspected militants suddenly opened fire at their van.

Saeed confirmed that three cops were killed and six others sustained injuries in the ambush.

The policemen responded with firing, and the cross-fire lasted for some time, police sources said.

According to SSP Saeed, police then cordoned off the area and a search and strike operation was carried out.

The SSP said the assailants in the attack were wanted militants.