KOHAT: The police on Friday recovered a newborn baby who was kidnapped on Dec 23 from the Women and Children Hospital (WCH), Kohat, and arrested five persons, including a staff nurse.

District police officer, Kohat, Mohammad Sohaib Ashraf told a press conference that the baby kidnapped from the WCH labour room was recovered from Karbogha area of Hangu district. The newborn went missing soon after birth on Dec 23, 2015.

He said that Sakeena, a staff nurse working in the labour room, had kidnapped the baby for Rs45,000 on the request of one Shagufta whose daughter, wife of Shahid Gul, was issueless for the last 18 years. He said that Shagufta, daughter and her husband, and son-in-law were involved in the plan of kidnapping.

The DCO pointed out that the kidnapping of babies from the local hospitals had become a routine because the hospital did not have the CCTV cameras and there was no ban on the entry of unconcerned persons in the labour room. He also said that proper record of admission or discharge was not maintained.

DPO says staff nurse among five arrested in the case

Mr Ashraf said that all the five suspects had been arrested and sent to Kohat prison after registration of the case. Meanwhile, police arrested a man accused of killing six people and kidnappings along with his three accomplices from a hotel in Lachi tehsil on Friday.

Lachi police SHO Razi Khan told mediapersons that the police team surrounded the hotel and asked the accused to surrender who obeyed. The main accused was identified as Masood, resident of Nowshera, while his accomplices included Azam Khan, Hukam Zareen and Abdul Sher, who belonged to Hangu district. A case has been registered against them.

SAFETY EQUIPMENT: The Fata Development Authority (FDA) on Friday distributed safety equipment among the coal miners who were mining in improvised manner for years in Darra Adamkhel. The equipment was distributed by FDA chief executive Fida Mohammad among the mining workers from Darra Adamkhel and Frontier Region of Peshawar and Khyber Agency at a ceremony held at Qasimkhel area of FR Kohat. Assistant director of mines department Sadiq Khan, APA Ali Asghar and elders of Qasimkhel were also present on the occasion.

SUSPENDED: Six female teachers belonging to Hangu district were suspended on Friday for allegedly remaining absent from duty for the last 11 months.

District education officer, Hangu, Farzana Sardar said that said that a committee, headed by the deputy commissioner, Hangu, was formed which conducted investigations into the case. It was found that all the six teachers were doing jobs at other places and also drawing salary from the education department. The committee decided to take disciplinary action against them.

Published in Dawn, January 2nd, 2016