NAWABSHAH, Dec 29 Residents of Murad Panhwar village staged a demonstration here on Monday to protest against a local sugar mill for disposing polluted water into the ponds.

The protesters were carrying placards and raising slogans against the mills' management.

Abdul Waheed Panhwar, Mohammad Yosuf and Mohammad Chhuttal said that the local sugar mill was releasing poisonous water into the ponds located near their village. They said that the poisonous water was generating poisonous gases due to which the residents were catching severe skin diseases.

They further said that a number of livestock were killed after consuming water from the pond. They demanded of the district administration to direct the mills management to shift the poisonous ponds to a place to a safer place.

ACCIDENT One person was killed and nine others injured in different accidents in the district on Monday.

Trailer driver Tariq Abbasi was killed on spot whereas three others namely Mohammad Ashraf, Shafqat and Moula Bux received injuries when a speedy trailer collided with a truck at the National Highway near Doulatpur. The injured were taken to a nearby hospital.

In another incident, four persons Ghulam Shabbir, Mumbai and two unknown received injuries when their car overturned at Qazi Ahmed and fell in Rein branch. All of them were taken to Qazi Ahmed Rural Health Centre.

In another incident, Ghulam Nabi Rind and Misri Rind were inured when their motorcycle was hit by a bus near Bandhi. They were also brought to PMC Hospital.

ROBBERY BID Motorway Police foiled a robbery bid on the National Highway near Qazi Ahmed on Monday.

Eight bandits stopped a Lahore bound coach (JB-3220) coming from Karachi at National Highway near Qazi Ahmed. The bandits overpowered the driver on gun point and managed to move the coach down the main road.

Meanwhile, officials of Motorway Police patrolling the area, reached on the spot. The dacoits opened fire on the police whereas motorway officials resorted to aerial firing in return.

The dacoits could not loot the passengers and escaped in katcha area by taking advantage of darkness.

SSP Motorways Sector-II and III, Farhat Ali Junejo told Dawn that the dacoity bid was foiled due to the timely intervention of the Motorway and local police.