January 12, 2003	Sunday	Ziqa'ad 8, 1423

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GUJRANWALA, Jan 11: A dacoit was caught while two others managed to escape following a police encounter in the People’s Colony.

Police said the outlaws had made their way into the house of one Mohammad Gulfam by scaling the boundary wall. They took the inmates hostage at gunpoint and started collecting valuables.

In the meantime, Mr Gulfam, who happened to be on the second floor, phoned Rescue-15. A police party arrived at the place, surrounded the house and ordered the outlaws to surrender. However, the outlaws opened fire on police and escaped after jumping over the wall on the back side of the house. Residents of the colony and police officials chased them and caught one of them who had taken refuge in a field nearby. His two accomplices managed to escape under cover of darkness.

A case has been registered against the accused and further investigation is under way.

SUSPENDED: The district police officer suspended an ASI and a constable of traffic police on corruption charges.

ASI Imtiaz Ahmed and Constable Ijaz Ahmad were found guilty of accepting bribe from the driver of an overloaded van. The incident had been witnessed by district bar member Advocate Mohammad Navid Iqbal, who informed DPO Saud Aziz about it. The traffic DSP had conducted the inquiry.

TOLL: Transporters of Qila Dedar Singh have protested against toll collection by a contractor at the rate of Rs15 per vehicle per trip and demanded of the district administration to abolish the tax.

A delegation of transporters met MPA Mian Mazher Javed and informed him about the tax. The MPA informed the DCO and demanded that the “unlawful” tax should be abolished. The DCO assured him that he would take action in accordance with the law.