LAKKI MARWAT: Transgender persons demonstrated in Bannu city on Tuesday against the torture, assault and head-shaving of their leader (guru) by gangsters.

They staged a sit-in outside the office of the regional police officer and closed the Miramshah Road to traffic. The protesters threatened to commit self-immolation if action was not taken against the accused.

The protesters ended the agitation when police officials assured them of taking stern action against the accused.

Earlier, addressing a press conference, Rizwan, the guru, said the lives of their community members were in danger as they had come under attacks several times.

`We are being forced to pay extortion and quench the sexual thirst of criminals,` he said.

The other transgender individuals said two suspects tortured Rizwan and shaved his head after abusing him.

They said the police had arrested one of the suspects, and demanded arrest of the other without delay.

INJURED: Three people were injured when a pickup truck transporting vegetable to Lakki city met an accident on the Lakki-Tajazai Road on Tuesday.

A rescue official said the accident occurred when one of the tyres of the vehicle got detached from it.

He said people, especially shopkeepers who were present there, shifted the injured to the District Headquarters Hospital.

Meanwhile, the police arrested a drug trafficker in injured condition after an exchange of fire in Ghaznikhel area of Lakki on Tuesday.

An official said cops came under attack when they reached near the hideout of the suspect, identified as Atif.

He said the police returned the fire, and later arrested the outlaw in injured condition.

The official said cops seized an assault rifle with bullets, over four kilogrammes hashish and 1.6kg ice drug from the arrested man.

The official said the police also arrested five drug traffickers in separate actions and recovered narcotics from them in Tajori, Shahbazkhel and Dadiwala areas. He said the law enforcers seized 2.3kg hashish and 365 gram ice drug from them. Correspondent