DUSHANBE, April 29, 2011, Asia-Pus  -- A traffic police officer has been hospitalized after being beaten by two young men, according to the Ministry of Interior (MoI).

The source at a MoI says the incident took place at the crossroads of the Nemat Qaraboyev and Shestopalov streets in Dushanbe on April 28.  “Traffic police officers Tolibjon Qodirov and Ravshan Sharipov stopped Mercedes (number plate 9889 RT 01) that drove through red light,” said he, “The driver Saidmukhtor Mirjonov, 30 and his passenger Ozod Odinayev, 26 severely beat Sharipov, who sustained serious wounds and was taken to the hospital.”

Criminal proceedings have been instituted against Mirjonov and Odinayev; an investigation is under way