KOHAT: The deputy commandant of the Police Training College, Hangu, was on Sunday suspended and an inquiry ordered against him after a recruit committed suicide while undergoing punishment for coming late despite being sick.

Following the incident, provincial police chief Akhtar Hayat ordered the suspension of college’s deputy commandant Shah Mumtaz, and appointed Kohat division DIG Sher Akbar Khan as the inquiry officer.

The inquiry officer has been asked to submit the report as soon as possible and investigate as to why a sick recruit was awarded punishment and find other reasons, which might have forced him to take his life.

Meanwhile, recruits of the training college demonstrated against the incident, alleging their colleague was denied respite by the officials from extra drills for three days despite being ill, for coming late from his home in Waziristan.

Talking to Dawn, the protesters demanded justice for the deceased and legal action against the moharrar, the chief drill inspector, reserve inspector and line officer for ‘solely running’ the training college. They alleged these officials didn’t allow them to air their grievances either with the deputy commandant or the commandant of the college.

The protesters alleged that often inhuman punishments were awarded to them by these ‘influential’ officials.

Published in Dawn, August 21st, 2023