MARDAN, March 3: NWFP Chief Minister Akram Khan Durrani has ordered a judicial inquiry into the death of a teenage boy Riaz Ali who died in police custody on March 1.

The order has been issued after residents of Khazana Dheri blocked the main Charsadda-Mardan Road on Tuesday for about five hours by placing the body of the dead boy in the middle of the road.

The protesters finally dispersed after Deputy Speaker of the NWFP Assembly, Ikramullah Shahid, informed them that the chief minister had ordered a judicial inquiry into the matter.

The deputy speaker who reached the spot when informed about the protest also condemned the killing. He contacted the chief minister and informed him about the situation. Chief Minister Akram Durrani ordered both a judicial inquiry and registering of an FIR against all those involved in the killing.

Mr Durrani also expressed sympathy with victim family and assured them that those involved in the killing of Riaz Ali would be made accountable and justice would be done. Later, the protesting people dispersed peacefully and buried the body at his ancestral graveyard.

It is learnt that after the intervention of the government the relatives of the deceased have lodged an FIR against three police officials, including sub-inspector Qadeer Khan, sub-inspector Mairaj Gul, assistant sub-inspector Alamzeb Khan, Amanullah and his son Nisar.

The three accused policemen have been suspended while investigations have been launched. Sources said the Saddar police had arrested Riaz Ali of Khazana Dheri (Mardan) on Feb 29 on the charge of possessing 300 grams of charas and got his physical custody from a local court on March 1. The same day he was found dead in a Saddar police station cell.

Police claimed that he committed suicide by hanging himself in the cell. However, according to autopsy report Riaz Ali died due to severe torture. Police handed over Riaz Ali's body to his relatives in the late hours of March 1.

However, local people and Riaz Ali's relatives took out a protest procession on Tuesday during which they placed Riaz Ali's body on the main mardan-Charsadda Road at Salim Khan Chowk.

Local people have alleged that the police killed Riaz Ali at the behest of his opponents. Police earlier refused to lodge an FIR against their colleagues, taking the plea that Riaz Ali had committed a suicide.