SARGODHA, May 18: Around two dozen jail employees and inmates were reportedly injured in an exchange of fire when gangsters made hostage some district jail staff in jailbreak here on Wednesday. Reports said that a gang of dacoits-cum-killers headed by Azam Kurar managed to hold hostage some of the jail staff. Taking in the situation, the jail authorities alerted the security staff besides summoning of the reinforcement as DIG (Prison) Nasir Warraich was reportedly taking round of the jail at that time.

Reacting swiftly, the police and elite force commandos intercepted the gangsters and foiled their attempt to escape from the jail. However, during some four hours of hostage drama and shootout several policemen and outlaws sustained injuries. But jail authorities and police were not disclosing exact figures of injuries or escape of any outlaws from prison.

Outlaw Kurar and over a dozen inmates, under-trial in several cases of dacoity-cum-murder, attempted to escape from jail.

Earlier, these gangsters had also escaped from a police van when they were being escorted to a trial court in Bhalwal tehsil, but they were later re-arrested. The gang was involved in over two dozen cases of dacoity-cum-murder and kidnap for ransom.

Meanwhile, the IGP (Prison) suspended two assistant superintendents (jail) and about two dozen security guards on charges of providing inmates the facility of cell phones and sophisticated arms and ammunition.

However, an enquiry was ordered against the jail staff, who allegedly provided arms and the cell phone facility to gangsters.

It was learnt that outlaws planned the escape from the jail to teach a lesson to Bhalwal ASP Munir Marith. The ASP had arrested all members of the Kurar gang.