SWABI: A wildfire broke out in an inaccessible forest of Mangal Chai village in Gadoon Amazai belt on Monday.

The residents told Dawn on phone that it was quite difficult for the Rescue 1122 staff to reach there and extinguish the blaze.

People use the timber from the forest for cooking and heating and also sell the wood to earn a living, local Mohammad Zahid said.

He said the locals had contacted the officials of the forest department and the district administration, but none of them promised any help to put out the fire.

The locals said they helplessly watched their forest being ravaged by the fire as they had no resources to douse the flame.

Separately, a policeman and a proclaimed offender were injured during an encounter on Monday, district police officer Mohammad Shoaib Khan said.

He said the outlaw was wanted to police in various cases, including three cases registered against him in the Zaida police station.

He said the outlaw had been arrested in injured condition.

He said PO was also an ice drug addict, sold drugs to people and was also involved in looting people at gunpoint.

The injured constable identified as Furqan Ali and the outlaw were shifted to Bacha Khan Hospital Complex, Shahmansoor.

Published in Dawn, June 1st, 2021