BAHAWALNAGAR: A shopkeeper has been booked for allegedly supplying defective gas cylinders and selling and refilling gas illegally after a gas cylinder exploded in a house here on Thursday.

The FIR registered with the A Division Police on the complaint of Irfan Ulhaq, a civil defence officer, claimed that Abu Bakar of Basti Hafizabad provided gas refilling service from his house and sold substandard gas cylinders illegally.

He further claimed that on Thursday, the shopkeeper went to the house of one Tariq Mahmood to install a cylinder, which burst due to being defective, adding that the cylinder explosion caused a fire in the house and destroyed it.

Police booked the shopkeeper and started investigations.

Citizens have criticised the government on social media, claiming that illegal gas refilling had caused multiple tragedies in the past, but relevant authorities, including the Civil Defence, appeared to be ineffective in taking action against such elements.

They claimed that illegal gas and oil agencies had been operating openly in every street and neighbourhood with the connivance of civil defence officials and despite complaints, no action was taken against them.

GANG RAPE: Two vegetable market sellers were arrested for allegedly gang-raping a young girl who came to the market here on Thursday

According to the FIR filed with A Division police, 18-year-old E from Khadamabad Colony went to the vegetable market at about 3pm on May 6. It claimed that two traders at the market raped the girl before locking her in a room inside the market.

Police held the duo and began investigations.

BODIES FOUND: The bodies of an elderly man along with another man, who tried to save him from drowning, were found in a canal 24 hours after the incident in the Dunga Bunga Police limits here on Thursday.

The Dunga Bunga Police said that on May 6, 75-year-old Ghulam Rasool was on his way home in a car when he suddenly asked the driver to stop near the Head Chanan and jumped into the canal. Driver Shahid (35) also jumped into the canal to rescue the elderly man, however, both drowned in the deep water.

Locals and Rescue sources said the body of the old man was found a few hours after the incident, however, the driver was fished out on the Thursday afternoon.

Locals claimed that the elderly man was suffering from some serious domestic issues and took this drastic move due to depression.

The Dunga Bunga Police said they were investigating the death of the elderly man.

Published in Dawn, May 8th, 2026