April 25, 2008	Friday	Rabi-us-Sani 18, 1429

MANDI BAHAUDDIN, April 24: Police with the help of an MPA got released the Gepco line superintendent and his staff, who were held hostage by scores of villagers in Kot Nawab Shah village on Wednesday night.

Reports said that line superintendent Abdul Munaf and his staff had replaced three transformers, but they all turned out to be faulty. The repeated failures of the Gepco staff to install an in order transformer resulted in boiling of the villagers’ temper and they held them hostage. The villagers also shouted slogans against the Gepco. Fearing their safety, the ‘hostage staff’ managed to inform the police on 15 through a cell phone.

In no time, the Civil Lines police along with MPA Tariq Mahmood reached the spot and succeeded in getting release of the Gepco staff after talks with villagers.

SUICIDE: A youth committed suicide by shooting himself at Phalia on Thursday.

Reports said that Tahir Mahmood, 24, was admonished by his father for coming late at night. In dejection, he took the extreme step.

ARRESTED: Police arrested two motorcyclists who fired at their van near Mauza Kalyanpur on Thursday. Reports said the police arrested accused, Ishrat Nawaz and Ghulam Shabbir of Pind Makho, and recovered two pistols of 30 bore and Rs60,000 in cash from them.

Miana Gondal police have registered a case.