Man shot dead by rivals while in police custody

PESHAWAR: An arrestee was shot dead by his rivals while he was brought to a hospital under police custody in the tightly secured red zone of the provincial capital on Thursday.

Asfandyar was escorted by police personnel for a routine medical check-up at the Police Hospital, located within the red zone adjacent to the Peshawar Police headquarters. It was during this escort that Asfandyar was viciously assaulted by his rival, Nadeem. Police said the killer was arrested at the scene.

Following the incident, relatives of the deceased staged a protest, leading to the blockade of a road near the KP Assembly. The road closure caused significant traffic congestion, with numerous vehicles stranded for an extended period.

After a series of attacks on rivals within court premises in recent months, a concerning trend has emerged where individuals are now resorting to violence within the highly secure red zones to settle personal scores. Several incidents of such nature have occurred recently, underscoring the failure of law enforcement personnel to adequately protect individuals under their custody.