Police team sent to Peshawar in SP’s murder investigation

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Slain SP Tahir Dawar was abducted in Islamabad and found dead in Afghanistan's Nangarhar province. ─ Photo courtesy Facebook
Slain SP Tahir Dawar was abducted in Islamabad and found dead in Afghanistan's Nangarhar province. ─ Photo courtesy Facebook

ISLAMABAD: A team from the Homicide Unit of the capital police was sent to Peshawar to collect evidence and fulfil legal requirements in the case of a superintendent of police (SP), Tahir Khan Dawar, from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa being abducted from Islamabad and later killed in Afghanistan.

The capital police are also considering adding terrorism and murder charges to the case for Dawar’s abduction. Police official said a militant outfit may be nominated in the FIR.

A senior police officer told Dawn that a four member team under the supervision of an inspector was sent to Peshawar to fulfil legal requirements including documentation, the examination of the body, initiating the autopsy process and obtaining medical and autopsy reports.

“It was suggested that the autopsy be conducted in a hospital in Peshawar instead of bringing the body to Islamabad,” the officer said.

The investigators also took the slain officer’s belongings, including his service card and a hand written letter, with them. In the letter, a militant outfit is said to have claimed responsibility for the murder.

Read: Diplomatic row over delay in handover of SP’s body by Kabul

The officer said the statements of the officials who received the body from Afghan officials and the SP’s family members will also be recorded.

Details of legal action taken by the slain SP against militant outfits and terrorists will be examined.

An officer said there are reports that the SP had arrested a terrorist recently and that the outfit he had been affiliated with had threatened him. He said the reports are yet to be confirmed.

Separate teams were constituted to examine all possible routes from Islamabad to Afghanistan as part of the investigation as well as the location at which the SP’s phone was switched on for two minutes.

Published in Dawn, November 16th, 2018

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