VEHARI, July 7: Five prisoners, who were involved in heinous crimes, escaped from the Burewala Saddar police station lock-up on Thursday morning, reports reaching here said. According to information, no sooner had the police officials on duty unlocked the prison for providing food to the inmates than five of the captives took to heels. They were Dilawar Gujjar, Dilbar, Iqbal, Maqsood and Abdul Hafeez.

Police sources said these prisoners were involved in several cases of murder, dacoity and kidnap.

Vehari DPO Muhammad Mukhtar Tikka, later, told journalists that two of the absconders, Maqsood and Iqbal, were re-arrested after an hour. The others would be tracked down very soon, he pledged.

Meanwhile, the DPO suspended the Saddar police station head constable Ehsanullah and Moharrar Abdul Latif from service. Burewala ASP Masroor Alam has been directed to inquire into the incident.

The police raided various parts of Burewala tehsil to arrest the absconders, but did not make any headway till last reports came in.

A case was instituted against the absconders and two police officials.