SUKKUR, April 1: Five employees of the Sui Northern Gas Company who had been kidnapped by armed bandits in Mureed Shakh 10 days back were released on Thursday near Bhong, Punjab.

Those released were identified as engineer Irshad Ahmad Qazi, assistant engineer Riaz Ahmad, technicians Asghar Abro and Mohammad Jawed and driver Jawed Ahmad.

Informed sources told this correspondent that the bandits released the hostages after receiving ransom but police claimed that the kidnappers left behind the SNGC employees after an encounter with the Punjab police.

CLASH: Four persons were injured in an armed clash between two groups of the Sabzoi tribe in kutcha area, Kandhkot, on Wednesday night. The injured, including Ali Sabzoi and Panjal Sabzoi, were taken to a hospital in Rahim Yar Khan. The rival groups had been invited to a marriage ceremony where they clashed.