LAHORE: Six labourers suffered multiple injuries after a kiln owner and his accomplices attacked them following a dispute near Jallo village on Sunday, police said.

Three suspects were taken into custody while raids were in progress to arrest the remaining suspects, Batapur police claimed.

According to a news channel, the incident took place after labourers sought their wages ahead of Eidul Fitr. However, a preliminary inquiry by police showed that a dispute had erupted between a kiln owner, Ashiq Jutt, and some labourers when the former reprimanded the latter for slow work and loading extra bricks onto some trolleys. There was an exchange of harsh words when one labourer argued with Jutt. At this, suspect Ashiq Jutt and his 15 accomplices started torturing labourers with kicks and clubs which left labourers Ali Akbar, Javed, and Aamir with fractures while Muhammad Waseem, Yasin ad Ghulam Hussain suffered multiple wounds. The injured were admitted to the Services Hospital by ambulances.

According to a Lahore police spokesman, the capital city police officer had taken notice of the incident on media reports and ordered action against the suspects. He claimed police had taken Ashiq Jutt and his two accomplices, Aamir Jutt and Shakeel, into custody. Sixteen suspects were booked in the case.

Published in Dawn, July 28th, 2014