SHEIKHUPURA, June 15: As many as three policemen and two prisoners were injured in an encounter on Thursday when some inmates who were being brought to Kotlakhpat Jail, Lahore, allegedly tried to escape from a police van on the GT Road.

Reports said the police van was bringing some prisoners from Sialkot to Lahore. When it reached near Rana town on the GT Road, some of the prisoners threw red chilli powder in the eyes of the policemen and tried to escape.

Sub-Inspector Zulfiqar who was sitting in the front seat of the vehicle opened fire at the fleeing prisoners. As a result, prisoners Ramzan and Razzaq sustained bullet injuries. Meanwhile, one of the prisoners who already had snatched a rifle from a policeman also opened fire on police, injuring SI Zulfiqar and constables Ashraf and Razzaq.

Two prisoners Amir and Kashif who tried to flee from the police custody were rounded up by Ferozewala police personnel who had reached the spot after receiving a wireless message.

Further investigations are under way.

SUSPENDED: The inspector-general, Prisons, suspended eight officials, including Sheikhupura jail deputy-superintendent from service for dereliction of duty, when a convict involved in more than 14 heinous cases escaped from his cell a few days ago.

Jail sources said Prisons DIG Mian Salik Jalal earlier visited the local jail to hold an inquiry into the incident in which a convict, Abraham Mashi alias Hama, escaped with the help of a sweeper who wrapped him in a blanket and transported him outside the prison in a hand-cart.

nazim Dies: A union council nazim, who had sustained serious bullet injuries on offering resistance some days back on Jandiala Road, died on Thursday in Mayo Hospital, Lahore Reports said Mandhyali UC-38 nazim Muhammad Akram Khokhar, also a member of the public safety commission, was on his way home from Jandiala when some unidentified robbers intercepted him at gunpoint and opened fire on him on offering resistance, injuring the nazim critically.

He was removed to Mayo Hospital where he died on Thursday morning. Later, his funeral prayers were offered at his native Missan Coller village.

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