KOHAT, Sept 11: Two accused of drug smuggling cases escaped from the police lock-up by dodging the staff on Sunday.

The accused, Nabi Gul, was arrested on Aug 9 last from the Indus highway while smuggling 51kg hashish from tribal area to Punjab.

Officials suspected that both the accused were allowed to run away from the lock-up by leaving the door open located behind the main gate of Riaz Khan Shaheed police station.

Officials said that Nabi Gul belonged to an influential gang which could have connived with the police to facilitate his escape. And the other accused also availed the chance by escaping through the open gate.

The police sources said that Nabi Gul belonging to Sarband, Peshawar and Suleman, resident of KTM Mills area, Kohat, were arrested on Friday and Saturday last for keeping drugs and locked up at the said police station.

The district police officer, Mubarek Zeb, meanwhile gave one hour deadline to the police to arrest the accused otherwise he told them to get ready to face suspension from service and official inquiry, an official said.

The said police was trying to arrest the escapees by conducting raids at various places but failed in their efforts till filing of this report. The concerned police officials were demanding more time from their superiors, but the DPO denied them more time.

RAFFIC JAM: The passengers traveling between Kohat and Rawalpindi had to suffer a major traffic jam at the Khushalgarh bridge on the Indus River for more than an hour here on Sunday.

The official said that a trailer driver tried to cross the narrow bridge with sharp turns at both sides despite several warnings given by the police. He moved in and broke the axle of the 11-wheeler truck. Later, the truck was removed with a great difficulty from the bridge and traffic was restored.