BAHAWALPUR: A motorcyclist was killed while 14 people suffered injuries in four separate fog-related road accidents in the district.

According to District Emergency Officer (DEO) Baqir Hussain, a motorcyclist, identified as Ahsan (26) was killed while his pillion, Mujahid (25), suffered injuries when the former lost control over the motorcycle due to speeding. The two-wheeler collided with a car coming from the opposite direction at Khanda Mor near Khairpur Tamewali-Hasilpur road.

In the second fog-related accident, 10 passengers suffered injuries when an air-conditioned bus rammed into the rear of a tractor-trolley laden with sugarcane near Khairpur Tamewali. All the injured were shifted to Tehsil Headquarters Hospital, Khairpur Tamewali.

In another incident, three persons were injured seriously in a trailer’s crossing at Adda Musawala near Musafirkhan on Ahmedpur highway. The injured were shifted to the Bahawal Victoria Hospital (BVH).

Besides two minor girls, Alishba (9) and Areeba (10), were injured when their dopattas entangled with the tube-well wheels at Head Islam along the Hasilpur road. They were shifted to the THQ Hospital Hasilpur for treatment.

ENCOUNTER: Three suspects were killed in an alleged encounter in the area of Saddar police on Tuesday.

The suspects were allegedly involved in injuring four people, including two Dolphin Force personnel, near old Sabzi Mandi in the area of the Civil Lines Police Station the other day.

Umar Saleem, the PRO of DPO Syed Muhammad Abbas, claimed police had arrested three suspects, namely Muhammad Nawaz, Maqsood Ahmed and Naeem Bakhsh, belonging to Jhang.

The Civil Lines police were escorting the suspects for the recovery of arms and other material from the place identified by them. On their way, the PRO alleged, the police were attacked by a gang of six armed motorcyclists, who allegedly opened firing to free their accomplices from the police custody. The police retaliated the fire.

During the exchange of fire, according to police claims, the three suspects in custody were killed with by the firing of their own accomplices who managed to escape.

The police claimed that the deceased and their fleeing accomplices were wanted in a number of cases.

RPO Rai Babar Saeed and DPO Syed Muhammad Abbas visited the emergency ward of the Bahawal Victoria Hospital (BVH) to inquire after the injured personnel of the Dolphin Force and Ilyan Abbas, a student injured in the attack on Monday. They announced Rs50,0000 each for the two injured Dolphin personnel.

Published in Dawn, February 22nd, 2023