HARIPUR, Sept 9: Two prisoners were shot at and injured when they attempted to flee from court premises here on Friday. A passer-by also was injured in crossfire. Police said the two convicts in a kidnapping case were brought to the court of Civil Judge Syed Kamal Shah from the Abbottabad central prison in connection with another case registered against them in Haripur.

While waiting to be produced before the judge, one of the convicts suddenly threw chilli powder into the eyes of policemen guarding them outside the courtroom and escaped firing shots into the air.

A police party headed by SHO city police Arif Javed Khan chased the convicts and caught them near the main roundabout after a brief exchange of fire.

Convicts Gul Sharif and Sajid suffered bullet wounds in lower parts of their bodies. Ajaib, an employee of the tehsil municipal administration, was hit in the neck.

Police said Ajaib was wounded by the prisoners’ fire, but witnesses said a police bullet had hit him.

Ajaib and prisoner Gul Sharif were taken to the Ayub Medical Complex in Abbottabad for their serious condition.