NAROWAL: An Indian wild boar on Tuesday injured five people before being shot at Zafarwal.

Reports said a wild boar crossed into Zafarwal tehsil’s Hasnain Town on Old Chavinda Road and created panic. People ran helter-skelter to save their lives and as the word got round, others locked themselves up in their homes.

Citizens reported the wild boar presence in the residential area to the Zafarwal police station and the wildlife department. A team of police reached the spot to rescue the populace.

Some people, in the meantime, brought eight to 10 hounds to catch the wild boar and the fighting continued for three hours. As no official of the wildlife department team showed up even after three hours or so, a citizen opened fire on the wild boar which eventually died. The shooter escaped the boar’s attack.

Sohail and Ahmed Ali told this correspondent that they made several phone calls to the wildlife department officials to catch the animal but no one turned up. They said animals from the forests of India often enter Pakistan and threaten the lives of the residents of border areas.

ROBBERIES: Robbers injured two persons in as many incidents in the district.

Nasir Hussain, a resident of Thale Khurd village near Narowal, was returning home from his barber shop on Chen Pir Road, Narowal, by motorcycle when robbers stopped him. They snatched cash and mobile phone from the man and shot at and injured him.

A Rescue 1122 team reached the spot on information and shifted the injured citizen to the District Headquarters (DHQ) hospital.

In an incident near Domala bus stop on Narowal-Pasrur Road, Budhokot village’s Muhammad Asif and his father were on their way home when robbers stopped them and shot at and injured Asif. He was shifted to the DHQ hospital.

The two incidents panicked the citizens who protested against the police for their failure to control robberies. They demanded that Chief Minister Usman Buzdar take notice of lawlessness and ensure protection of lives and properties.

Published in Dawn, February 2nd, 2022