GUJRANWALA, Dec 20: An illegally-run mini telephone exchange in Trust Plaza was unearthed by a raiding team of the Pakistan Telecommunication Company Limited (PTCL) here on Saturday while the accused managed to escape.

The raiding team took all the record, including eight telephone sets and other equipment, into custody.

Two brothers — Shahzad Ahmad and Muhammad Iqbal rented a shop at Trust Plaza and got at least eight telephone connections on various names from the PTCL. They installed a dish antenna and started stealing overseas and national wide dialling (NWD) calls through satellite with the abetment of some gateway officials. On account of these illegal activities, the PTCL has to bear a loss of about Rs20 million.

Gujranwala Telcom Region (GTR) general manager Muhammad Anwer ordered a probe into the scam and inducted an inquiry team comprising senior officers.

TORTURED TO DEATH: A factory worker was tortured to death on Saturday by its owner for demanding his dues in Kamoki.

Muhammad Nawaz had been working in the factory of Muhammad Tariq for the last 10 months. On Saturday, Nawaz reportedly quarrelled with the owner when he refused to give his dues. The owner tortured him severely as a result of which he died instantly.

Police have registered a case and are investigating.

THRASHED: A commission agent of the grain market was beaten up by his business partners and threw him in a canal after snatching Rs50,000 in cash in Naukher village on Saturday.

However, the passers-by fished him out of the canal and rushed him to the local DHQ Hospital in critical condition.

Victim Zafar was on his way to the grain market with Rs50,000 in cash when Ashraf and Tariq overpowered him.

They thrashed him and snatched cash from him and then threw him in the Upper Chenab Canal.

Police have registered a case against the accused.

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