10 October 2004	Sunday	24 Shaban 1425

HYDERABAD, Oct 9: Three persons were killed near a place known as Kotri Ranges on Friday in a mishap but the exact nature of the incident could not be confirmed till the filing of this report.

Official sources identified the deceased as Riaz (said to be resident of Sargodha), Ashfaque and Fayaz.

Initial reports said that three members of a law-enforcement agency had been ambushed but it proved to be incorrect. An official, who requested anonymity, said that they were, in fact, civilians and were working near the Kotri Ranges at the time of the incident. Their bodies were brought to the Combined Military Hospital, Hyderabad. He said that they were working near coal mines at that time. He clarified that they were not affiliated with any law-enforcement agency in any manner.

According to an unconfirmed report, the deceased did not belong to a law-enforcement agency but they were working with it.

Another source said that the incident occurred near the Kotri Ranges where exercises of the force were going-on. ISPR officials in Karachi and Hyderabad could not be contacted till the filing of this report at 8 pm. No case has been lodged with the Kotri police, a police source confirmed.