CHINIOT: More than 30 villagers allegedly held a police raiding team hostage, beat up the cops and damaged their vehicle on Thursday at Mouza Bahiwal, a village on the bank of the Chenab, some 25km from here.

Police said on a tip-off constables Nosher and Saifullah riding a motorcycle conducted a raid to recover illegal weapons. As soon as they entered the village, around 30 suspects, including women, besieged them, snatched their official guns, beat them and locked them in a house.

Constable Nosher sought help and a Kandiwal police mobile carrying six to seven policemen reached the spot. Police said they were also roughed up. However, police managed to rescue their colleagues.

Kandiwal police have registered a case against 17 nominated and 13 unidentified suspects under sections 365, 342, 353, 337-H, 186, 148 and 149 of PPC. No arrests were made.

Published in Dawn, March 15th, 2019