KASUR: The followers of a fake faith healer dug up a grave at a local shrine of village Kotly Pathana in search of a treasure on Tuesday.

The villagers caught the suspects while unearthing the grave red-handed, thrashed them and handed them over to police.

According to the Saddar police, seven suspects, including Waqas of Rukanpura, Nadeem and Sajid of Gulberg Colony and Allah Ditta of Pakpattan, were digging up the grave of a saint, Baba Ghareeb Shah Vali, on the night between Monday and Tuesday. While the suspects were digging the grave, some villagers caught them and thrashed them. The villagers called police who took the suspects into custody.

The suspects told police that they had got instructions from a faith healer, Ghulam Farid of Qadirabad locality, to get the treasure buried in the grave.

According to the first information report (FIR), this was the second attempt by the suspects to dig up the grave. They had made an attempt on Jan 1 but fled when some farmers in the nearby fields were alerted by their voices.

Police lodged a criminal case on the complaint of village Lumberdar Asim Khan against five nominated suspects, including the faith healer, and two unidentified on charge of desecrating the grave.

Meanwhile, Kasur police claimed to have arrested a notorious gangster, Aslam Aud, wanted in over 40 cases in various districts of the province.

According to a handout issued from the DPO’s office, Aud had formed a gang that was active in various districts and was involved in robberies, murder and kidnap incidents.

SEALED: The administration of tehsil Pattoki sealed three marriage halls for flouting the Covid-19 standard operating procedures (SOPs) and lodged cases against their owners.

Following information that Great Palace Hall, Anmol Shadi Hall and Taj Mehal Shadi Hall were violating Covid-19 SOPs, a team of the municipal committee, headed by Enforcement Inspector Muhammad Ashraf, raided the halls. It sealed the halls and registered cases against them.

Separately, Kasur Assistant Commissioner Kaleem Yousaf sealed three shops and fined over a dozen other shopkeepers for not abiding by the rules and regulations regarding protection against the coronavirus.

Published in Dawn, Jannuary 6th, 2021