17 April 2004	Saturday	26 Safar 1425

DADU, April 16: A villager was killed and two minor girls were injured by stray bullets when a policeman opened fire on a car that had hit and injured his colleague at Sim Shakh near Khairpur Nathan Shah on Thursday night.

The villager, Shadi Khan Khoso, 35, his daughter, Fehmida, 7, and niece, Noor Bano, 9, who were going to their village in a donkey cart.

The policemen and unidentified car driver fled from the spot. Later, a large number of villagers placed the body on the road and held a protest demonstration.

Speaking to the protesters, Ghulam Nabi Khoso, brother of the deceased, said that the Khairpur Nathan Shah SHO was not willing to register an FIR against the policeman responsible for the incident.

DPO Javed Akhtar Alam Odho arrived on the spot and assured the protesters that the FIR would be lodged against the policeman. On his assurance, the demonstrators dispersed. Later, police, on the complaint of Ghulam Nabi, registered an FIR against policeman Khamiso Khan.

ROBBERY: An Osta Mohammad-bound coach with 40 passengers was intercepted and hijacked by 12 bandits at Thori Phatak on the Indus Highway. The passengers were later set free near Manjhand by highwaymen after being deprived of thousands of rupees in cash, gold ornaments and other valuable items in the Kutcha area.

Three passengers were beaten up for offering resistance. Later, the passengers held a protest demonstration on the highway, demanding arrest of the robbers. They regretted that the police deputed on the Indus Highway had not followed the highwaymen.