01 March 2005	Tuesday	19 Muharram 1426

GUJRANWALA, Feb 28: Motorcyclists have protested against the government's 'helmet policy' terming it violation of human rights and demanded its immediate withdrawal.

At a meeting held here on Monday, a group of bikers alleged that the government wanted to benefit helmet manufacturers following imposition of this law throughout the province.

They said helmet companies and dealers had enhanced the prices. They said a helmet which was earlier available for Rs250 to Rs300, now being sold for Rs500 while the price of a quality helmet ranged between Rs700 to Rs2,000. They said a majority of motorcyclists could not afford this expenditure along with high prices of petroleum products.

POS HELD: The range police claimed to have arrested 1,366 proclaimed offenders and recovered illicit arms and looted goods worth Rs41 million from their possession within one-and-a-half-month.

DIG Altaf Qamar said here on Monday that the police recovered eight Kalashnikovs, 123 rifles, 137 guns, 104 revolvers, 652 pistols, 41 carbines, 1,325 cartridges, 5kgs of heroin, 117kgs hashish and 2kgs of opium besides 1,276 bottles of liquor from their possession. The DIG revealed that around 1,107 cases of illicit arms were also registered during the period.

BAIL AWARDED: The local Anti-Terrorism Court No 2 on Monday granted interim bail till March 3 to three accused involved in a kidnap case. The bail was granted after the investigating officer informed court that both the parties wanted compromise. Accused Shakeel Ahmad, Kulsoom Bibi and Irshad Bibi had allegedly kidnapped minor boy Suneel of Talwandi Musa Khan village.