BAHAWALNAGAR: The arrest of two gunmen, who were handed over to the B-Division police along with a gun and looted valuables by a mob two days ago, was not mentioned in a case registered against them late on Sunday despite pictures of the duo at the police station still making rounds on social media.

According to the FIR, Abdul Majeed, of Mauza Choghatta Araian, was riding a motorcycle when Shoaib and Waheed, of Bahawalnagar, and Shan Ali, of Sahiwal, intercepted him near PakRice Factory at about 9pm. The trio looted cash, documents and a mobile phone from him and fled when Rizwan and Khawar arrived at the scene.

The FIR said the men confessed to their crime and promised to return the booty when the victim along with eyewitnesses met them soon after the incident. Later, the trio refused to return the valuables, it added.

Police sources told Dawn that the duo were overpowered, thrashed and abused by a mob when they were looting people near Pak Rice Factory. B-Division of ficials deliberately concealed their arrest because they were hardened criminals andthe of ficials wanted to get the credit for their arrest.

They said it was the second such incident in the district within a week in which the people handed over dacoits to the police after severely thrashing them. However, the police avoided taking any action against the mob in both cases.

DPO`s spokesperson Shehzad Ishfaq said he did not know why the B-Division police showed the gunmen as absconders in the FIR.

He said as soon as he got information about the matter from the B-Division SHO, he would inform this scribe. However, later when contacted, the spokesperson`s number was switched of f.