MARDAN, Oct 13: Local district and sessions judge Shahid Khan on Saturday ordered registration of an FIR against six police officials for the custodial killing of a boy.

He also asked the health department to take disciplinary action against six doctors for concealing evidence in the case.

The judge issued the order in his capacity as ‘a justice of peace’ under the Code of Criminal Procedure on completion of an inquiry by a magistrate, who reported that the boy, Akhtar Ali, was tortured to death in police custody.

The court directed the Mardan district police officer to book Shergarh police station’s SHO Fazle Akbar and personnel Afsar Ali, Mohammad Arif, Zubair, Iftikhar and Said Jamal under the relevant sections of Pakistan Penal Code.

It also asked the provincial director general (health services) to form a high-level inquiry committee to proceed under the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Government Servants (Efficiency and Disciplinary) Rules, 2011 against Mardan Medical Complex’s Dr Kamranuddin, divisional medicolegal officer Dr Nurul Islam, medical superintendent of Tehsil Headquarters Hospital, Takhtbhai Dr Gul Akbar, and Dr Mumtaz Ashraf and Dr Aurangzeb of Tehsil Headquarters Hospital, Takhtbhai and executive district officer (health) Dr Ayub Riaz.

Boy Akhtar, who was arrested for robbery, died in police custody on Aug 23, 2012. The death led to violent demonstrations in the district.

According to the judge, the exhumation report revealed that the boy was subjected to severe physical torture during illegal custody, resulting in injury to the scalp, skull fracture and brain injury.

It added that the boy was picked up a day before his declared arrest followed by unlawful confinement.