RAWALPINDI: The terror group which gunned down a Dolphin Force official and injured another one during an encounter with police last week on Murree Road was affiliated with banned outfit Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP). However, they were neitherfoot soldiers nor were commanders of the TTP, said the sources.

Police have have handed over the two suspects to the Counter Terrorism Department (CTD) along with a mobile phone, some photographs, a copy of arms licence and treatment record of private hospital Peshawar Road recovered from the car.

The car, in which the suspects were traveling, had also been shifted to the CTD.

On the other hand, the police have written a letter to Pakistan Medical and Dental Council (PMDC) to take action against the private hospital and doctor and medical staff who treated the bullet injury one of the suspects had received in his leg in Tank, where he was initially treated before being brought to a private hospital on Peshawar Road.

The police believe that the group had been spotted by intelligence agency and they were returning back to Tank after getting the treatment from a private hospital when they had an encounter with a Dolphin Force squad on Murree Road.

Two of the suspects, including the injured one, had already been arrested by the law enforcement. However, raids were underway to trace the two escapees, including the group leader.

According to the sources, of the four suspects, three were having weapons (30-bore pistols). The Dolphin Force official, who was martyred in the encounter, was shot with a 30-bore pistol by the suspects.

Initially, the police was unable to identify the arrested suspects. However, they, including the arrested ones have been identified, the sources said adding that the investigators will be able to get important clues with the help of mobile phone recovered from the car left by the suspects during encounter with Dolphin Force officials.

Published in Dawn, May 4th, 2024