2 dacoits killed by accomplices’ firing

HAFIZABAD: Two dacoits were killed by the firing of their accomplices during an encounter with police near Nassowal village on Friday.

According to the police, four dacoits snatched a motorbike and cash from Javed near Pindi Bhattian Sadr. The victim immediately called Rescue 15. Following the information, the police rushed to the spot and started chasing the dacoits. Near Nasowal village, the dacoits opened fire on them. In the meantime, two dacoits were injured by the firing of their accomplices. The police arrested the injured dacoits while their accomplices managed to escape. The police shifted the injured dacoits to a hospital where they died. The killed dacoits were later identified as Zohaib and Hamid. According to the police, the killed dacoits had murdered two brothers – 14-year-old Ali Hamza and 15-year-old Zaman - after committing sodomy with them at Jalalpur Bhattian about 10 days ago. They were also wanted by the police in more than 20 cases of dacoity, theft, illicit arms and sodomy. The police also recovered the motorbike and cash from them.

FOUR CORONA SUSPECTS TEST NEGATIVE: There are six suspected coronavirus patients in the DHQ Hospital and two in Pindi Bhattian THQ Hospital, said Dr Abid Ali, a focal person for COVID-19.

He said that these suspected patients were admitted to the hospitals and their swab samples were sent to a laboratory which declared four of them negative while results of four others would be received shortly. He said that there was no corona patient in the district so far.

SECTION 144: Deputy Commissioner Naveed Shahzad Mirza said that lockdown and Section 144 CrPC was imposed to protect the lives of citizens from coronavirus.

He said that the citizens should cooperate with the authorities and abide by the instructions and guidelines and stay at home to save themselves from the virus. He further said that the citizens must let the authorities fulfill their responsibilities to get rid of the virus. He, however, warned that the violators of Section 144 would be dealt strictly. He further said that there was no shortage of any commodity in the district and all the essential commodities were available in abundance.