PESHAWAR, Oct 7: The NWFP government has initiated a judicial inquiry into the baton-charging incident of Sept 22.

The police had resorted to baton-charging when petroleum minister Norez Shakoor visited Mardan to inaugurate sui gas supply line to a Madressah.

An official statement said additional district and session judge, Mardan, Kausar Abbas Zaidi, was appointed in this regard. Mr Zaidi has been asked to submit a report within 15 days.

The government has already terminated DSP, Mardan, Mohammad Khaliq, and SI Shaukat besides recommending the Centre to remove the ASP, Mardan, Jamalur Rehman from service.

The move is being seen as an attempt on part of the government to pacify the JUI (Sami) as the incident was cited as one of the factors contributing to the split in the alliance.

The government has also appointed Anwar Ali Khan, additional and session judge, Kohat, for judicial inquiry into the incident, which occurred in Kotki near Hangu on Sept 26, wherein passengers of a bus were looted.