RAWALPINDI, Jan 26: A local businessmen was murdered in a robbery attempt in Sadiqbad area on Saturday, forcing his fellow traders to protest, which led to the suspension of the area police SHO.

Suhail Kiani was killed outside his shop by three armed men who came to the shop with the intention of robbery, police said.

They said two salesmen, Nabeel Ahmed and Mohammad Waseem, were also injured in the incident.

The police said that when three armed men entered the shop of wholesale shop of biscuits and nimko at Sadiqbad, the salesmen and owner alerted. “Their screams for help panicked the robbers who opened fire on them injuring the shop owner, Suhail Kiani, and salesmen Nabeel Ahmed and Muhammad Waseem”, he said.

The injured were shifted to Benazir Bhutto Hospital where Suhail Kiani succumbed to his injuries. After his death, his body was shifted to District Headquarters (DHQ) Hospital for autopsy. However, Nabeel and Waseem were admitted to Benazir Bhutto Hospital where the condition of the victims was stated to be stable.

After the incident, more than 200 local people gathered in the main square of the bazaar and blocked the traffic, leaving hundreds of vehicles stranded at Raja Bazaar, Khanna Dak Pull, Jahaz Ground, Sadiqbad and Dhoke Kala Khan.

The locals and traders demanded the arrest of the culprit within next 24 hours. “If the police failed to nab the culprits then we will start protest,” said Umer Ahmed, a protesting trader, while talking to Dawn.