SHEIKHUPURA, Oct 7: Truck drivers and office-bearers of transporters association on Friday brought the traffic to a standstill for some 10 hours on Sheikhupura-Sargodha Road near Salar Syedan in protest against a highway robbery.

Reports reaching here said that three armed highwaymen looted truck driver Rafaqat Ali when he was on his way to Lahore from Sargodha. For offering resistance, they also tortured him. The incident occurred in the limits of Khanqah Dogran police station in Nankana Sahib district.

Following the incident, truck drivers gathered on the spot and threw traffic out of gear after parking their vehicles in the middle of the road. The protesters also chanted slogans against the police for its failure to control the rising robbery incidents.

The protesters alleged that several robbery incidents had happened in the same place, but the area police failed to make any arrest.

On receiving information, Khanqah Dogran police hastened to the spot and summoned for the reinforcement after seeing the situation.

Later, Sangla Hill DSP Fida Husain and DSP (investigation) Ahmad Nawaz along with a heavy police contingent also reached the spot. Seeing high ranking officials, the angry mob started shouting slogans against the police and demanded the arrest of highwaymen immediately.

However, the protesters dispersed peacefully after the police officers assured them that robbers would soon be arrested.

Police have registered a case against three unidentified robbers on the complaint of driver Rafaqat Ali.