SHEIKHUPURA, Dec 17: Scores of wagon drivers and transporters staged a protest rally on Friday against the rising incidents of dacoity and robbery.

The protesters parked their vehicles in the middle of the Lahore-Sargodha Road and suspended traffic for some two hours. They were protesting against the killing of a wagon driver at the hands of dacoits.

Shahbaz, 28, of Jahangirabad was going to Lahore when four dacoits in the guise of passengers boarded his wagon from Javaid Nagar stop on the Lahore Road, some 22km away from here. They shot the driver dead on resistance and fled after snatching cash, wristwatches and valuables from passengers.

The protesters dispersed on an assurance by the police high-ups that the culprits would be arrested soon. The protesting drivers said the passengers of three wagons had been deprived of cash and valuables on the same road during the last 36 hours, but the Factory Area police had failed to control the situation.

DACOITIES: Sixteen dacoits in police uniform looted two houses in Chak Damoana, Dera Bhadro, on Thursday night. Reports said the dacoits entered the house of Hafiz Asif and held up the inmates at gunpoint.

They escaped after collecting Rs100,000 in cash, gold ornaments, three mobile phones and valuables. On resistance, the intruders injured Shahid and Asif. The injured were shifted to the Lahore General Hospital due to their critical condition.

Later, the same dacoits looted Rs400,000 in cash, jewellery and valuables from the house of Talib in the same area. They also injured the house owner on resistance. The Bhikhi SHO did not register a case saying it was a routine matter.