LAHORE, June 27: The owner of a private hospital was gunned down by his tenant over a rent dispute on Raiwind Road in Nawab Town police station limits here on Wednesday.

Nawab Town police inquiries revealed that Mahmood Rafique had a dispute with Muhammad Farooq, 40, owner of Almas Hospital, and a litigation case was continuing in a court of the rent controller.

On Wednesday, Farooq reached the hospital along with a bailiff led by Manzoor Husain. Instead of getting help from police, the bailiff entered the property and threw away furniture and other valuables of the tenant.

Harsh arguments between two sides led to a shooting.

Quoting witnesses, the police said Rafique opened fire on Farooq, a father of five daughters, with a pistol and fled the scene. He died on the spot.

A police team constituted by Sadar SP (Operations) Capt Liaquat Ali Malik (retired) traced the whereabouts of the suspect within a few hours and took him into custody along with the murder weapon.

DROWNS: A 28-year-old man was feared drowned in the BRB canal near Kheera bridge on Wednesday.

The Rescue 1122 personnel said Fakhar Ranjha of Jhang apparently came to the canal for taking a bath when he disappeared in water.

A whole-day search effort bore no fruit.

ROBBERIES: Robbers shot at and wounded a citizen and looted cash and valuables worth Rs4.5 million in eight hits in the city on Wednesday.

Two armed men snatched Rs1 million from Saleem in Shahdara police limits and shot at him on resistance.

Two robbers approached the family of Ali Zain in Shadman police limits and deprived them of cash and valuables worth Rs500,000.

Some gun-toting stormed into the house of Zafar in South Cantonment police limits and took away Rs8,000, foreign currency worth Rs1 million and jewellery.

Some robbers barged in the house of Idrees in Chuhng police limits and escaped after looting cash and valuables worth Rs600,000.

Some robbers burst into the house of Safdar in Nawab Town police limits and made off with cash and valuables worth Rs400,000.

Some armed men entered the house of Amanat in Raiwind City police limits and looted cash and valuables worth Rs400,000.

Two robbers deprived Kaleem of his car, Rs45,000 and a cell phone in Burki police limits, while as many armed men deprived Aamir him of his car, Rs50,000 and a cell phone in South Cantonment police limits.