August 22, 2007	Wednesday	Sha’aban 8, 1428

LAHORE, Aug 21: Skeleton of a nine-year-old boy was found in the fields of Gul Vehra village in Kahna late on Monday.

The boy was said to be tortured to death by his stepmother and his body was dumped in the house, however, police did not confirm this.

Police said people found the skeleton in the fields at around 9:30pm on Monday. Farmer Noor Ahmed recognised the skeleton from clothes and identified the boy as his son Abdul Maroof.

Police officials said that Ahmed had reported to them about the disappearance of Maroof from his house a month ago. Police later sent the skeleton for an autopsy.

WOMAN DIES: A 25-year-old woman, who was beaten by her husband in Nishtar Colony on Aug 18, succumbed to her injuries at Lahore General Hospital on Tuesday.

Police said Shahida Perveen wed Saeedur Rehman of Arif Town some years ago and the couple had one-and-half-year-old baby girl, but now their relationship was stressed. On Aug 18, they had an argument. Rehman beat Perveen with a club in the presence of her mother and injured her critically. He fled and Perveen was taken to the hospital where she died on Tuesday.

Crackdown: Kot Lakhpat division police claimed to have arrested 64 drug-peddlers, 53 people with illegal weapons and 15 gamblers in the last two week.

Police launched a crackdown on criminals in Green Town, Kot Lakhpat, Kahna, Nishtar Colony, Township and Johar Town.

Police seized 4.8kg charas, 203 bottles of liquor, 220 gram heroin and four-kg poppy besides a large quantity of weapons and bullets.