January 29, 2008	Tuesday	Muharram 19, 1429

SAHIWAL, Jan 28: Locals and workers of a rice mills near Chak 98/9-L on Pakpattan Road killed 103 snakes on Monday.

The incident spread panic in the area as people were later seen shifting their residences temporarily.

Shahmand, a worker of the Punjab Rice Mills, was excavating earth with a spade to strengthen the embankment of 9-L distributary flowing along side the factory. When he dug out little deeper, a seven-foot long snake came out of its pit. The labourer informed mills owner Lutufullah, and later the workers killed the snake.

But, it did not stop here as snakes kept coming out from their pit one after the other and the workers and residents of nearby Chak 98/9-L, Lakkanwala, and Chak 99/9-L killed at least 103 snakes till 4pm.

A majority of the snakes were black and brown, and their length ranged from two feet to seven feet.

A large number of people from nearby localities gathered near the factory and threw traffic on Pakpattan Road out of gear for a while.

The presence of a large number of snakes in the area scared the residents as some of them were seen shifting their residences temporarily in the afternoon.

Snake charmers were also called in, but none of them could catch a single snake alive.

KIDNAPPED: Four members of a family were kidnapped allegedly by rivals from Chak 68/12-L in Shahkot police precincts on Sunday.

Mohammad Yaseen and three others allegedly kidnapped Afzal’s wife Ghulam Fatima, daughters Sameena, 12, and Ismat, 10, and six-year-old son Ali Raza. The police have registered a case.

Meanwhile, six people kidnapped an elderly man allegedly over a family dispute from Chichawatni Sadar police precincts.

Bashir was waiting for a bus when Iqbal, Babar and Rustam along with accomplices bundled him into a pick-up and fled. The police have registered a case.