KARACHI: The Surjani Town police on Saturday claimed to have seized a huge quantity of gutka and arrested the owner of the factory where the substance was being produced.

The police conducted a raid on ‘gutka/mawa factory’ located in a house in Sector-6/B of Surjani Town and arrested its owner, Mohammed Ehsan, said Karachi-West SSP Dr Rizwan Ahmed Khan.

The police also recovered a huge quantity of ready/packed gutka, mawa, betel nut, katha, choona, empty wrappers, chemicals and packing machines.

The police have registered an FIR (426/2018) against the factory owner under Sections 269, 270, 273 and 336-B of the Pakistan Penal Code.

The police officer said that this action was taken as per orders of the Sindh High Court and the IGP Sindh.

Explosion inside seminary: 10 held

The Rizvia Society police on Saturday said that at least 10 people, including one injured watchman, had been detained for questioning over an explosion at a seminary on Friday evening.

Central SSP Irfan Ali Baloch on Saturday said that it transpired during investigation that a small grenade had exploded.

“It exploded in the hands of Yawar Hussain, watchman of the seminary, who sustained minor injuries on his hands. It is yet to be ascertained from where he got the grenade and what he was doing with it,” said the SSP.

The senior officer said that 10 people were under interrogation in the incident.

“Police is investigating the incident from all aspects,” he said adding that so far no FIR was registered.

Meanwhile, Rizvia Society SHO Nawaz Brohi on Saturday evening told Dawn that the injured Yawar Hussain, who was taken into custody, in his statement before the police claimed that he found the hand grenade at the main gate of the seminary.

He picked it up assuming it to be a ‘toy’ and when he touched its pin it went off injuring his hands, he told the police.

However, the SHO said that the police have certain doubts about it.

Out of nine staff members of the seminary, seven have been released after interrogation while rest were still in police custody for investigation.

The SHO said that authorities would decide about the registration of the case.

Published in Dawn, July 23rd, 2018