GUJRAT, Feb 1: Students of the Government Science College on Saturday blocked the GT Road for two hours in protest against the killing of a first year student by a speeding bus.

The protesting students also set on fire the bus, beat up its driver, pelted stones on police and crew of fire brigade, besides damaging their vehicle.

Babar was crushed to death by the Iftikharabad-bound bus (AJKB-2290) outside the college on the GT Road. Soon the students gathered there and blocked the road by burning used tyres and thrashed bus driver Arif. They asked the passengers to vacate the vehicle and then set fire to the bus. They also tried to burn several other private vehicles.

Meanwhile, a heavy police contingent and fire brigade crew rushed to the spot where the students pelted stones on police and fire fighters. They also ransacked the fire brigade vehicle (GTF-7285) and injured its driver, Rana Arif, and fire fighters Arshad and Sohail. To disperse the angry students, the police used teargas shells and resorted to aerial firing.

Later, police arrested seven nominated accused students — Irfan, Muhammad Boota, Mubashir Hussain, Nouman Naeem, Shahzad Anwar, Tahir Mahmood and Ihsanullah. A case has been registered against them and some other unidentified students under Sections 147, 148 and 436 of the PPC. Police have also registered a case against the bus driver, Muhammad Arif.

KIDNAPPED: Two persons were kidnapped for ransom in different incidents in and around the city during the last 48 hours.

Three armed men kidnapped a hafiz-i-Quran, Atif, from Shadiwal and demanded Rs3 million ransom for his release. According to the area people, the brothers of the abductee are settled abroad. Meanwhile, police recovered Atif from Jamke Chattha and arrested all the accused.

A first year student was kidnapped on Saturday by some unidentified gunmen in Lahorian, Karrianwala.

Zohaib Ahmad was on his way to a tuition centre when some car riders kidnapped him. It is learnt that Zohaib’s father Ashraf has a lot of property. The family members said they had no enmity.

A case has been registered against the accused.