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LANDI KOTAL (Khyber Agency), March 4: The Khasadar force and Mehsood Scouts resorted to aerial firing and tear gas shelling to disperse protesting students as violent protests continued in the Bara area of Khyber Agency for third day on Saturday.
The students were protesting against the expulsion of a religious leader, Mufti Munir Shakir, from Bara. Armed guards accompanied the school students who hurled stones at and ransacked Khasadar and Mahsud Scouts check-points in Dogra, Markin, Sheikhano Pul and Jawazgai.
A Mehsood Scouts staffer, Barkat Ali, was slightly injured when the student pelted the Jawazgai check-point with stones. The scouts retaliated with firing in the air to scare away the protesters.
Tear gas was used for the first time in Bara when the students tried to lay siege to the tehsil office.
The Khasadar force baton-charged the protesters when they tried to damage shops in Bara bazaar.
ESCAPE: A member of the Bara Peace Committee, Maulana Maroof Jan, escaped from the captivity of his kidnappers on Friday night.
The Maulana was allegedly kidnapped by supporters of Mr Shakir on February 20. During his captivity, he was kept in chains and severely beaten as he had torture marks on his body when he reached the residence of MNA Maulana Khalilur Rehman.
Meanwhile, Shafeer Ullah Khan took the charge of Assistant Political Agent, Bajaur and held a meeting with the representatives of the Bara Tajir Ittehad.
The Bara traders had earlier announced a three-day shutter down strike against the administration’s failure to provide security to them.
