SAHIWAL: A five-year-old boy died and 10 other passengers received burns when the compressed natural gas (CNG) tank of a van exploded near Adda Kalyara, Chichawatni-Kamaliya Road, on Sunday.

Rescue 1122 said the explosion occurred because of CNG cylinder leakage. Nine of the injured passengers got serious burns and they were shifted to the Tehsil Headquarters Hospital, Chichawatni. Those burnt included four women and as many children.

The critically injured included Asiya Bibi (45), Yasmeen Jameel (40), Kausar (40), Saad Ali (42), Sabah Noor (11), Shamsa Kanwal (5), Naureen (3), Hamza (5) and Mohsin (2). Five of the critically injured were referred to burn unit in the Nishter Hospital, Multan where Hamza succumbed to his burns while Mohsin’s leg had to be amputated.

The explosion reportedly occurred due to gas leakage. The driver escaped from the scene after the incident.

KIDNAP: A woman teacher of the Govt Girls Primary School, Chak 28/SP was allegedly kidnapped by her estranged husband and his four unidentified accomplices from her school on Saturday.

Samreen Zakir, a resident of village Chanote, tehsil Pakpattan, had contracted a love marriage with Farooq Azam, a van driver, from her village. But the couple could not live together and got separated after four months of marriage because Farooq had contracted a second marriage without permission of Samreen. After estrangement from her husband, Samreen start living with his father, Muhammad Zakir, and continued her job. Farooq gave her divorce two months later.

On Saturday, Farooq and four armed men came to the school kidnapped Samreen. The suspect resorted to firing into the air when her colleagues and students tried to intervene. When Samreen’s father went to register a case with the Chak Badiain Police Station, the police refused to register the case.

Talking to Dawn, investigating officer Akram said it’s not a kidnap case the girl’s parents could not produce any divorce papers.

Station House Officer Rana Imran said the police were investigating the matter and they would register the case once it was proved that the girl’s had got divorce.

BAR POLLS: Anwar Chaudhry and Saood Ahmed Gujjar won the polls on slots of president and secretary general in the district bar association (DBA) election by securing 555 and 400 votes, respectively.

Abdur Razzaq Dhakku and Shaukat Ali Joyia won vice president and joint secretary seats by securing 725 and 632 votes, respectively.

Published in Dawn, January 15th, 2018