SUKKUR, June 28: Eight policemen, including an SHO, have been booked on the charge of negligence of duty, leading to escape of an alleged criminal from the lockup of their police station.

Two of the accused belong to the caste of the criminal and another is the cook of the SHO. The Sarhad police on the complaint of the DPO of Ghotki on Tuesday registered a case against the SHO and seven other policemen of the Sarhad police station on the charge of negligence in performance of their duties.

Their slackness, the FIR stated, had led to Saturday's escape of Khalid Taggar, a hardened criminal wanted to police in different heinous crimes who was arrested on Thursday.

Taking notice of the incident, the DPO lodged the FIR on behalf of the state against SHO Kareem Bux Lakho, Head Munshi Saeed Shar, Naib Munshis Mubarak Jiskani and Akbar Chachar, head constables Sachal Thaheem, Majeed Taggar, Ayoob Taggar and Hassan Manganhar, the cook of the SHO.

The FIR was registered under sections 220, 223, 224 and other relevant sections of the Pakistan Penal Code. Police have arrested Ayoob Taggar, Mubarak Jiskani and Akbar Chachar but SHO Lakho, Head Munshi Shar and others have escaped.— Correspondent