FAISALABAD, Jan 17: Nine hardened under-trial prisoners escaped from the Gulberg police lockup here on Thursday.

Police said nine prisoners were shifted to the Gulberg lockup on Wednesday night for hearing of their cases in different courts on Jan 17. Police came to know about the incident when some officials approached barracks to take them to courts. They found barrack empty and informed high-ups about the incident.

Sources said Ijaz Bhatti, Fateh Sher, Irfan, Saifullah, Mazhar Abbas, Tajamul, Imtiaz Taj, Naeem Yousaf and Arshad were being tried for their alleged involvement in robberies. One of them was involved in a murder case, but the police did not pinpoint him.

The accused managed to escape by making a hole in the wall of the lockup, sources said and added that only three employees were on duty at the time of the incident. The remaining policemen were on Muharram duty.

DIG (operations) Mohammad Aslam Tareen told Dawn that DSP Shahid Butt, SHO Jamshed Chishti and three constables were suspended following registration of a case. An order has also been passed for their immediate arrest.

No fugitive had been arrested till the filing of the report.