LAHORE: Nawankot Crimes Investigation Agency police claim to have arrested seven members of the 35-member Butt Odh dacoit gang and recovered from them loot worth more than Rs5 million, police uniforms and illegal weapons.

Police claimed the arrested men, including the ringleader, were involved in dozens of dacoities and robberies posing as Punjab police and elite police officers.

According to a handout issued on Wednesday, a police team assigned to bust the gang conducted a raid on a tip-off and nabbed ringleader Arif alias Butt Odh and his six accomplices Bahadur Ali, Muhammad Younis alias Nila, Khurram alias Mota, Ghulam Rasool alias Billa and Ali Hassan.

Police seized Rs3.8 million cash, gold ornaments worth hundreds of thousands, motorcycles, police uniforms and illegal weapons.

The criminals are said to have used a Mazda truck for committing crimes at factories and private residences, taking inmates hostage and subjecting them to torture.

Arif had earlier been arrested several times for alleged heinous crimes, including murder, robbery and dacoity from Kasur, Sheikhupura, Nankana Sahib, Faisalabad, Sargodha, Chakwal, Islamabad, and Gujranwala and faced imprisonment.

FIRE: A fire broke out in three shops and a warehouse near Fawara Chowk, Shah Alam Market, on Wednesday, burning down goods worth hundreds of thousands.

Rescue 1122 and City Fire Brigade brought the blaze under control after hectic efforts.

Police said the blaze first erupted in a crockery shop and later engulfed two other shops and a warehouse situated on the upper floor. The cause of fire and loss could not be immediately determined.

KILLED: A man was shot dead by unidentified gunmen outside his residence in Altaf Park, Shadbagh, on Wednesday.

Shadbagh police said Shabbir Ahmad was present outside his house when unidentified suspects on a motorcycle stopped by and opened fire on him. Ahmad later died in hospital.

Police said the motive behind the shooting was under investigation and a case would be registered on receiving application from the victim’s family.

roof collapse: A young woman and her four-year-old son suffered injuries when the dilapidated roof of a mud house collapsed along the main drain in Green Town here on Wednesday.

The police said that Shakeela and her child were stated to be out of danger at the Jinnah Hospital.

LOOTED: Three robbers barged into the house of Zubair in Defence A police remit and escaped after looting cash and jewellery worth Rs1.2 million on Wednesday.