GUJRANWALA, Aug 12: A prisoner involved in a murder case died here on Tuesday due to what his family alleged torture by a jail official.

The jail official, however, aired that the captive had died of heart attack, and handed over his body to his heirs. Jail DIG Abdul Sattar reached the spot and initiated an inquiry, which was going on till filing of this report in the evening.

Reports said Muhammad Aslam, son of Ali Muhammad (a resident of Farid Town), was arrested on murder charges by the Satellite Town police, which sent him behind the bars an year ago. His brother, Muhammad Yousaf, was detained in another barrack for his involvement in the samemurde case.

On Tuesday, a jail official allegedly dragged Aslam out of his barrack and beat him black and blue till he fainted and eventually died.

Heirs of the deceased alleged that the jail official had killed him with the help of the murder case complainant. Aslam’s widow lodged a complaint with the Satellite police that his husband had been murdered by the jail officials. However, the police did not register a case.

Learning about the incident, the jail DIG immediately reached there and started an inquiry to ascertain the cause of death. It is also alleged that the jail officials manhandled other prisoners to force them not to reveal the truth.

When contacted, the official claimed that Aslam was brought out of the jail on hearing that he had a knife and blade. On his resistance to searching his body, he said, the captive quarrelled with the jail officials.

DIG’S ORDERS: The jail DIG later announced that the hardened criminals should be kept away from delinquents to avoid any untoward incident in future.

He directed the jail authorities to prepare a list of these prisoners without delay.

The DIG, who was accompanied by jail superintendent Shaukat Tawana, visited various barracks and got information about the captives.

IMPOUNDING: The district administration impounded on Tuesday more than 200 public transport vehicles, which were to transport the PML-Q activists to Lahore for their participation in the Aug 14 public meeting.

The vehicles were impounded, though, the government had announced that it would not hold its rally.

As a result, hundreds of people, including women and children, faced a great deal of difficulty while moving from one place to another.

According to the ARD leaders, the government wanted to spoil their public meeting.

When contacted, the traffic police authorities said they had released the vehicles on seeing the commuters’ worries.

DROWN: A matriculation student drowned in Nullah Pulkho and a girl in the Upper Chenab at Ferozewala on Tuesday.

According to reports, Muhammad Afzal was bathing in Nullah Pulkho near his home village Sodara when he was swept away by gushing water.

His body was recovered after an hour. Police took his friends into custody for interrogation.

Rukhsana Bibi, a resident of Rakh Kikranwali village, drowned in the Upper Chenab canal when she was swept away while washing clothes.