ISLAMABAD: An inquiry was launched to find those responsible for abandoning Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Operation Asmatullah Junejo amid protestors, after which the senior official was beaten up by the baton-wielding mob on Monday, police officials told Dawn.

Since then, the SSP has been kept in the surgical intensive care unit (ICU) of Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (Pims) with stitches on his head, a partial dislocation of a joint in his forearm and rupture in adjacent tissues.

Meanwhile, the SSP’s operator, Sajjad, also received multiple injuries and fractures all over his body.

“Both the police officials are out of danger,” a hospital official said, adding that “the doctors had earlier decided to shift the SSP from the ICU, but his condition did not allow it.” Sajjad is also admitted to the ICU and will remain there till his condition stabilises, the official added.

SSP Asmatullah Junejo and his operator were beaten up by the protesters

“Sajjad preferred to return and stay with the SSP, when the other staff and two reserves abandoned him as the mob charged at the police,” an official said, adding that, resultantly, Sajjad also got beaten up.

The inspector general of police has ordered an inquiry to find those responsible for running away, even though the SPP was leading them from the front and did not give any order to fall back or return.

“SSP Junejo, along with his gunmen and two reserves, marched towards the protesters to intercept them while they were moving towards the Cabinet Division,” the policeman said. Once the protesters started pelting stones, the two reserves and the gunmen ran away from there, the officials said, adding that the mob caught the SSP and Sajjad, and beat them both.

The officials said the inquiry will identify the “coward policemen”. Those found guilty will be dismissed from the force, they said.

Published in Dawn, September 4th, 2014