January 27, 2003	Monday	Ziqa’ad 23,1423

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SHEIKHUPURA, Jan 26: Dacoits and thieves took away cash and valuables worth millions of rupees in four strikes in the district during the last 24 hours.

Seven masked dacoits barged into the house of school teacher Mushtaq in Piyra village. They held up the family, collected cash, gold ornaments and other valuables, worth hundreds of thousands of rupees.

The dacoits thrashed the school teacher on resistance. Sharaqpur Saddar police registered a case.

Four armed men entered into the house of landlord Sardar Virk in Murad-i-Kalan village after cutting the iron gate. They drove away his new tractor, worth Rs500,000. Bhekhi police are investigating.

Thieves took away cloths and cash from a shop in Chak No 4, Rasala.

Owner told police some unknown men entered his shop by making a hole in the outside wall. The thieves took cloths on a donkey cart. The donkey cart was later found in fields outside the village. Bhekhi police registered the case.

Another shop was looted in Ferozewatwan village. The thieves took away cloths from the shop of Shaikh Yousaf.

Bhekhi police are investigating.

DESILTATION DRIVE: Irrigation department secretary Pervaiz Majeed has said that in the first phase of desiltation campaign, 200 miles long canals and distributaries will be desilted in the district.

He was speaking at a gathering of growers at Bucheki, some 65km away from here, on Saturday.

He urged the growers to extend full cooperation to the department in desiltation of canals and distributaries in their areas so irrigation water could reach the tail ends.