LAKKI MARWAT: Twelve policemen, including an assistant sub-inspector, were suspended after a murder accused escaped the police custody in Lakki Marwat district on Monday night.

A police official said that the suspect, identified as Saifur Rehman, facing the charges of murder, attempted murder, assault and possession of illicit weapons had been brought to the Government City Hospital for treatment.

He said that the suspect had been admitted to the MLC (medico legal case) ward where a cop, Asmatullah opened his handcuffs to facilitate him to have night meal.

However, he managed to flee the hospital taking the advantage of a quarrel between his brothers, including Munir and Sada Khan, a facilitator Qamar Zaman and the cop Asmatullah,` the official claimed.

He said that Zaman also fired shots in the air with his pistol to scare the policeman before escaping along with the brothers of the murder suspect. The official said that the negligence and carelessness on the part of other policemen emboldened the suspect and his facilitators to escape.

Lakki Marwat district police officer Mohammad Jawad Ishaq took serious notice of the incident and ordered suspension of 12 cops, including an ASI, with immediate effect.

The suspended officials have been closed to the police lines for further departmental proceedings. They included ASI Mir Aslam, head constable Asmatullah, lower head constables Muqarrab Khan, Khalid Khan and Waheed Khan and constables Attaullah, Hameedullah, Asmatullah, Samiullah, Mohammad Tufail Khan, Asmatullah and Ziaullah. Correspondent