February 18, 2007	Sunday	Muharram 29, 1428

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GUJRANWALA, Feb 17: Police claimed on Saturday to have foiled an escape plot by 300 prisoners from the judicial lock-up and deployed more force there.

Sources said about 400 prisoners were taken from jail to attend court proceedings and lodged in judicial lock-up. There was a shortage of personnel and only 18 constables produced around 100 accused in courts till noon. The remaining 300 accused became infuriated on the delay and they tried to escape by breaking the lock-up. The guards shut the outside gate of lock-up and informed high-ups about the situation. The DSP (headquarters) reached there along with a heavy contingent of police and controlled the situation.

He admitted that the lock-up was over-crowded while the number of guards was also too inadequate.

WARDER ARRESTED: The jail authorities arrested on Saturday head warder Tahir Aziz on the charges of providing narcotics and mobile phones to the prisoners.

A team raided his residence on receiving information about his activities and recovered five mobile phones, eight SIMs, 10 radios, 15 chargers, 250 grams of hashish, 25 packets of ‘naswar’ besides Rs36,000 in cash from his possession.

A case was registered against him.

ROBBERIES: A timber market trader and three others were robbed in and around the city here on Saturday.

Four outlaws came to the shop of Siddiq in timber market as customers. They held him at gunpoint and snatched Rs1.5 million in cash.

Three bandits intercepted trader Bashir Kamboh near Jaboki village in Naushera Virkan and snatched Rs40,000 in cash, a mobile phone and other valuables from him. They thrashed him when he put up resistance.

Arif Khokhar of Satellite Town and Munir of Lohianwala were deprived of their motorcycles and mobile phones.

KITE MAKERS: The Kite Manufacturers Association demanded that the city district government should allow them to make and sell kites and string for two weeks ahead of Basant.

A delegation of the association led by president Khwaja Nasim Ahmad met DCO Manzar Hayat in his office on Saturday and apprised him of their difficulties.

They said they had invested thousands of rupees in the business and they would have to bear heavy loss if they were not allowed to do business.

He assured them that their demands would be considered.