May 07, 2008	Wednesday	Jamadi-ul-Awwal 1, 1429

LAHORE, May 6: Scores of truck drivers and helpers led by their union office-bearers on Tuesday blocked the Bund Road near Karool Ghati for at least two hours in protest after thieves allegedly shot dead a helper in jurisdiction of Gujjarpura police.

Police said the deceased helper, Kamran Masih (25), a resident of Shadipura, Baghbanpura, challenged two thieves who were stealing diesel from the tank of a truck parked alongside the road.

As Kamran tried to nab one of them, the other opened fire on him. The outlaws fled the scene leaving Kamran with critical bullet injuries. He died while being shifted to the Mayo Hospital.

The truck drivers and helpers after hearing about the incident gathered on the spot, blocked the road and staged a protest demonstration against the killing.

They also shouted slogans against the police for failing to provide security to them. A union leader, Rana Muzaffar, told reporters on the spot that as many as 500 trucks were parked along side the road daily, and that the incidents of diesel theft were on the rise in the area.

He said in this connection more than three dozen written complaints had been submitted so far with Gujjarpura and Baghbanpura police stations, but to no avail.

The protesters threatened to block the main GT Road as well as Bund Road on Wednesday (today) if the complaints were not redressed.

Gujjarpura SHO Adnan Bokhari told Dawn the protesters dispersed after holding negotiations with the police high-ups.

He admitted that organised gangs were operating, especially in Daroghawala, Sheikhupura Road and Bund Road areas, which were involved in stealing diesel and patrol from trucks and other heavy vehicles.

He said a case under sections 302 and 392 of the PPC had been registered against the outlaws.

ROBBERIES: Robbers barged in a customer service centre in Sattokatla police limits, held the owner, employees and customers at gunpoint, collected Rs173,000, eight cell phones and escaped on a snatched motorcycle (LEM-6288).

Three robbers entered the house of one Asghar in main bazaar in Ghaziabad police precinct and took away cash, jewellery, cell phones and wrist watches worth over Rs300,000.

STREET CRIME: Three robbers stopped one Mazhar Abbas near Kotha Pind in Faisal Town area and snatched Rs170,000 and two cell phones at gunpoint.

Similarly, two robbers stopped one Abid near Jamia Masjid Karimia in Shadbagh and deprived him of Rs300,000 at gunpoint.shot dead: A divorced girl was gunned down allegedly by her maternal uncle in Shahdara on Tuesday.

Zunaira Bibi, daughter of Yousaf of Begum Kot, was married to Abdul Rahman who divorced her after a few months.

Girl’s maternal uncle Mohammad Husain nurtured a grudge against her on suspicion of her bad character. On Tuesday, he visited her house and admonished her over the same issue. Following an argument, he shot Zunaira dead.

Shahdara police registered a case against the accused on the complaint of the victim’s brother Younas and shifted the body for autopsy.