ISLAMABAD: A suspect arrested by police over theft escaped from their custody, taking the number of such incidents to five since February. The police, however, said the suspect had been freed by his accomplices who attacked the police officials.

So far, five such incidents have come to light sinceFebruary 12, in which either handcuffed suspects arrestedin connection with different crimes, including murder, escaped from custody. In one incident, the police set them free by removing the handcuffs.

The suspect was arrested in connection with a theft case registered at the Shahzad Town police station in November last year. The police claimed that during the interrogation, the suspect offered that he could assist the police in the arrest of more suspects as well asrecoverlooted andstolenitems.

In response, a six-member police team took the suspect to a scrapyard in Chatha Bakhtawar in a private vehicle instead of an official vehicle. The police team arrested another suspect pre-sent at the scrapyard after the handcuffed suspect pointed him out. Shortly after the arrest, another suspect started shouting for help, and in response, five females and six males armed with batons and firearms attacked the police team.

During the scuffle, they injured the policemen with batons, tore the uniform of an assistant sub-inspector, and set free the suspect from custody.

Later, a police contingent was called to the spot, and they arrested three women and recovered batons from them.

A case was registered at Shahzad Town police station under sections 353, 186, 148, 149, and 506ii of the Pakistan Penal Code against the suspectand the attackers.

A few days ago, a police official was booked for setting free two suspects involved in several cases after a court discharged them in only one of the cases while sending them on judicial remand in at least four cases.

On Feb 19, an alleged drug dealer escaped from custody shortly after his arrest. Over the escape, a case was registered at the Sumbal police station under sections 324, 353, 186, 427, 148, and 149 of the Pakistan Penal Code.

The police claimed that the suspect arrested from Merabadi near G-11 was freed by over a dozen armed suspects.

On Feb 16, a handcuffed suspect arrested in connection with drug peddling escaped fromcustody while being transported to jail. The Khanna police were transporting him to the Adiala jail on judicial remand.

On the way to Adiala, they stopped in front of the Koral police station at a photocopy shop, during which the accused slipped his hand out of the handcuffs and escaped.

On Feb12, a suspect arrested by police in connection with a murder in the area of Nilore police station escaped after breaking the locks.

The suspect was in police custody on physical remand and detained at the Banigala police station instead of Nilore station, in whose limits he allegedly committed the murder. After his escape, six police officials, including the SHO, were booked.