KOHAT, June 1: The district police has ordered arrest of three police officers and suspended the SHO of PS Jangle Khel for allegedly helping two hardened criminals to escape from police lock-up on Thursday.

A case under sections 432, 221, 222, 223 and 224 PPC has been registered against moharrar Afzal, naib moharrar Salim Shah and constable Muzaffar Hussain. The SHO Munawar Khan has been suspended and an inquiry into the incident initiated.

Officials said that a history-sheeter, Habib Shah, his brothers Dilawar Shah, Zakir Shah, Abid Shah and their five Afghan bodyguards had attacked KDA Township police post and manhandled the officers on duty on Wednesday night. Habib Shah is on bail in a case involving kidnapping and murder of man and firing on a police officer.

After the incident, ASP Karim Khan conducted a raid at their den near Gulshanabad and arrested Dilawar Shah, Zafar Shah and Abid Shah. However Habib Shah and five Afghans had escaped before the raid.

The accused were brought to PS Jangle Khel and cases under Anti Terrorist Act were registered against them.

It is alleged that the accused requested permission to perform ablution and the three police officials opened the lock-up at 10 am. Two accused, Dilawar Shah and Zafar Shah, escaped from the PS in presence of the staff but their third accomplice, Abid Shah, could not run away.

On receiving the report of the incident, DPO Dr Ishtiaq Marwat ordered registration of a case against the police officials and appointed Gul Shadi Khan new SHO of the PS.