SHEIKHUPURA, Oct 14: Police arrested 18 criminals after an encounter near Salar Bhattian village of Nankana district on Tuesday.

Elite Force teams from Nankana and Sheikhupura districts arrested the alleged criminals from a hideout near Salar Bhattian village after an encounter in which constables Rehmat and Noman were also injured.

DIG Chaudhry Tanvir said dozens of offenders were hiding near Salar Bhattian village. He said these criminals were committing highway robberies.

He said the encounter began at 7am and continued till evening. Armoured vehicles were also used in the encounter during which the police also seized a huge cache of sophisticated weapons from the offenders.

CANAL BREACH: Ten villages and paddy crop on about 100 acres were inundated when a 10-foot breach developed in the embankment of a canal near Nangal Kasal village near Muridke.

The breach occurred because of the alleged negligence of the irrigation department. The affected villagers and farmers demanded the government compensate them for the loss and take action against irrigation officials.