DERA ISMAIL KHAN: Twenty-four persons, including eight police personnel, sustained injuries when a police van carrying prisoners plunged into deep ravine near Shorko area here on Sunday.

Police said that the van carrying prisoners from Chitral to Dera central jail skidded off the road at Mufti Mehmood Square and plunged into a gorge, injuring 24 passengers.

They said that the prisoners included those who were jailed for taking law into their hands and besieging a police station in Chital after a deranged man uttered some controversial words at the central mosque of the city.

The injured police personnel included Irshad Hussain, Shabbir Hussain, Mohammad Zeb, Ziauddin, Islahuddin, Wali Zar, Ziaur Rehman and van driver, constable Haneefullah. The police and Rescue 1122 workers reached the spot and brought the injured to the district headquarters hospital, Dera. Medics said that condition of one of the injured was critical.

Published in Dawn, May 1st, 2017