PESHAWAR, Aug 7: Three khasadars arrested on charges of killing a local leader of the Awami National Party (ANP) declined to plead guilty before the court of a judicial magistrate and were sent to prison.

The accused khasadars, Gul Jehan, Arab Khan and Azam Gul were produced before the court of the judicial magistrate, Aurangzeb Khan, on Monday.

However, the accused stated that they did not want to plead guilty. Following their refusal they were sent to the Peshawar central prison.

The accused were made hostages by people in Sarband, a suburban locality situated on the Bara Road here on Friday after a local ANP leader, Mohammad Rafique, got killed during firing by khasadars from the Bara area (Khyber Agency).

The khasadars were trying to disperse demonstrators in the settled area adjacent to tribal areas.

A tehsildar, Khalid Kundi, who was leading khasadars, was also made a hostage. The four hostages, including the tehsildar, were later handed over to the police. The Bara road remained closed for traffic after the incident.

The local people alleged that the khasadars had opened fire on the tehsildar’s orders, adding that the tehsildar should be nominated as the prime accused.

Our Landi Kotal correspondents adds:The Khyber Agency political administration on Monday restored the salaries of Khasadar force belonging to Gogrina village in Bazaar Zakhakhel area.

The salaries of more then 400 khasadar personnel were withheld by the administration some three months back under the Collective Territorial Responsibility clause of the Frontier Crimes Regulation for providing shelter to activists of Lashkar-i-Islam in the village after they were ousted from Bara in March.

The perks and privileges of Upper Zakhakhel elders are still withheld as they have failed to evict Lashkar Amir Mangal Bagh or close down his illegal radio station.

Sources said the salaries had been restored as a goodwill gesture.