BAHAWLPUR: The Civil Lines police on Sunday claimed to have arrested 12 police officials over escape of an under-trial prisoner from their custody.

A case was registered against the policemen after an accused in a double murder case, identified as Sanaullah, escaped from their custody on Saturday.

According to the sources, the 12 police officials, including Assistant Sub-Inspector Sajjad, escorted 21 under-trial prisoners, including Sanaullah, to the local court. When under-trial prisoners were taken back to the New Central Jail, Bahawalpur, it transpired that Sanaullah was missing and he had escaped from custody. The district police officer (DPO), on the letter of the superintendent jail, suspended 12 police officials and all of them were arrested.

OIL TANKER: A speeding oil tanker carrying 40,000 gallons of petrol overturned after hitting a motorcyclist on Bahawalpur-Karachi highway near Sharifabad.

As the tanker overturned, the petrol of the Gujranwala-bound oil tanker started spilling out on the road. Rescue 1122, civil defence and police officials rushed to the spot and cordoned off the area, blocking the National Highway. The activity continued for six hours, which resulted in long queues of the vehicles on both sides of the highway.

The commuters of buses and vans faced a great deal of inconvenience as it was the month of Ramazan. The injured motorcyclist, identified as Shakeel Mehmood, was shifted to hospital where his condition was stated to be out of danger.

Police took the oil tanker driver into custody.

Published in Dawn, May 20th, 2019