BAHAWALPUR: The Yazman Saddar Police have booked 15 persons for allegedly setting several houses on fire at Chak No 68/DB colony in its limits on Saturday.

The arson incident reportedly took place when the goat of the family of Zarif Khan accidentally entered into the fields of the suspects.

According to a DPO’s spokesperson, the police had registered an FIR against four nominated suspects including Muhammad Shehbaz Bajwa, Mohsin Bajwa, Shado Bajwa, Ali Shehbaz Bajwa and their eleven unidentified accomplices.

In his complaint, Zarif Khan had alleged that after his goat entered the suspects’ fields, they attacked his house along with the house of brother and uncle and set them on fire.

The arson incident created panic in the area and nearby residents also left their houses. The complainant alleged that their household belongings, including Rs300,000 cash, motorcycle, utensils, a tractor and other valuables also perished in the fire. The victim Zarif Khan also alleged that the attackers also took thirty goats belonging to his family.

The spokesperson toldDawn that on receiving information about the incident, DSP Yazman and Rescue 1122 officials rushed to the scene to control the fire. He said that the suspects were yet to be arrested.

ENCOUNTER:Two alleged dacoits were killed while a passerby suffered serious injuries in an encounter with a joint team of Lodhran Crime Control Department (CCD) and Elite Force on Sunday.

According to CCD DSP Tahir Ijaz, acting on a tip off, CCD officials chased the dacoits, identified as Amin alias Meana Boka involved in as many eighty cases of murder, dacoity, car–lifting and robbery along with his accomplice Ahmed Gujjar, and an encounter took place.

The incident is stated to be held in the limits of Malikpur on the Karachi-Lahore-Peshawar (KLP) Road.

The passerby has been admitted to the hospital for treatment.

Published in Dawn, May 25th, 2026