May 24, 2002	Friday	Rabi-ul-Awwal 11,1423

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GUJRAT, May 23: Lalamusa police claimed to have arrested in Sahnawal the ring leader of a gang involved in several inter-provincial bank robberies.

Headquarters DSP Sadiq Sandhu told newsmen at a press conference on Thursday that the police, on a tip-off, raided a house in Sahnawal.

He said SHO Asad Ishaq and Sub-Inspector Zulfiqar Ali Prince raided the house and sealed it off. After a brief encounter, he claimed, the police arrested ring leader identified as Afzal alias Major with a 30-bore pistol.

The DSP claimed the robber confessed to have committed three bank robberies and other crimes. The ring leader had named other gang members Zaigham Shah, Mazhar Butt, Yasir and Kashif, he added.

The gang had looted Rs1.8 million from National Bank, Ghalla Mandi Branch, Lalamusa, about two month back and Rs1.5 million from National Saving Centre, Lalamusa, some 45 days back, the DSP quoted the arrested as confessing.

He said the robbers had snatched Rs51,000 in cash and a motorcycle from owner of Sanam Medicos, Lalamusa, about 45 days ago. The gang leader also confessed to have shot dead a gunman and injured another during a dacoity bid in National Bank, Faisalabad, on April 25, 2002. The police had registered a case under sections 302, 394 PPC, the DSP said.

The ring leader had also confessed that his gang had kidnapped Advocate Rana Habib of PPP in Rawalpindi at the behest of former MPA Chaudhry Tanveer in 1992, the official said.

Mr Sandhu claimed the gang was wanted by police in Gujrat, Faisalabad and Rawalpindi.

Meanwhile, the police claimed they had arrested dacoit Fazlul Haq with stolen computers worth Rs150,000.