Even ransom fails to save minor

Published February 12, 2008

GUJRANWALA, Feb 11: Incensed by the killing of a minor boy on Sunday in the face of paying Rs700,000 ransom to kidnappers, traders on Monday threatened to go on a shutter down strike if the police failed to arrest the culprits within three days.

Traders of Lakerwala Pull and civil society members held a meeting here and condemned the gruesome murder of Binyamin, son of trader Muhammad Azeem, the owner of Popular Nursery.

It may be mentioned that unidentified culprits had kidnapped Binyamin from Sabri Chowk some 28 days back when he was playing with his friends. The kidnappers took him to some unknown place and demanded Rs1 million ransom from his father for the release of his son.

Talking to reporters, the victim’s father said that the ransom amount was paid to kidnappers in two installments. He said the police was duly informed about all proceedings, but they could neither save his son’s life nor able to arrest the culprits.

On Sunday, heirs and the area people had blocked the GT Road, Gondlanwala Road and Civil Hospital Road for some two hours when police shifted the body of the deceased to the DHQ Hospital for autopsy. They had also burnt used tyres in protest.

BOOKED: On the directive of the Lahore High Court, the SHO and an investigation officer of the Ghakkhar Town were booked for illegally detaining two youths on Monday.

Reports said that the Ghakkhar police had a few days back raided the Nat Kalan village to arrest proclaimed offender Ahmed alias Ahmadi having the headmoney of Rs500,000. As the PO was not present there, the police picked up two suspects, Ayub and Nafis, from their houses and detained them at the police station.

Later, their heirs moved the LHC, on whose orders a bailiff recovered the detained youths.

The judge summoned SHO Riaz Ahmed Pehalwan and investigation officer Riaz Bajwa and ordered to register a case against them when they could not satisfy the court. However, both of them could not be arrested so far.

SHOT DEAD: A woman was shot dead by her relatives over a land dispute in Ghakkhar Town on Monday.

Reports said that deceased Shahnaz was on her way home from the market when the accused fired at her and escaped. She died on the spot.

Police have registered a case against the accused on the report of her husband, Rafiq.

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