GUJRANWALA, Oct 17: Three robbers took Wazirabad Sadar station house officer (SHO) and an assistant sub-inspector (ASI) hostage for several hours and snatched their weapons and a wireless set during a robbery bid in Sangowali locality on Wednesday. Later, the robbers fled after setting the policemen free.

On a tip-off, Inspector Nasir Chattha, the SHO, accompanied by ASI Ismatullah and another constable raided a robbery scene in Sangowali.

They started conducting a search operation in fields when suddenly the robbers took them on gunpoint and ordered them to surrender, which they did.

The robbers snatched their weapons and a wireless set and kept them in their custody for several hours.

Later, the robbers fled after setting them free and throwing the wireless set in the fields.

The police have cordoned of the area and launched a search operation to spot the fleeing robbers.

Also, six members of a robbers’ gang fled from the custody of Wazirabad Sadar police on Wednesday. However, three of them were later re-arrested by the police.

Sources told Dawn that Motorway police had captured six robbers and handed them over to the Sadar police a few days ago.

A police officer took them to a private torture cell at an outhouse from where they fled after breaking the window of the cell on Wednesday.

The police raided the residences of robbers’ relatives and re-arrested three of them.

When contacted, Sadar police confirmed that the robbers had fled from their custody.