Two ‘bandits’ killed in ‘police encounter’

‘Criminals’ were wanted by police in eight cases

Two persons who had allegedly robbed people of their belongings and also shot and injured a police constable were killed in an alleged police encounter while three of their accomplices escaped, police said.

A motorcycle and weapons were also recovered from the possession of the dead “robbers”, they said.

According to the police, the two robbers had already had eight cases registered against them.

Police shifted the bodies to the Allied Hospital mortuary for postmortem and mounted a search operation to arrest the absconders.

Police also filed a case under various provisions against the deceased robbers and their absconding accomplices.

The City Police Officer announced cash prizes and certificates for the SHO and other employees who participated in the encounter.

Police, while giving a detailed account of what transpired, said that five bandits erected a barricade near Chak No. 58 GB within the limits of Garh Police Station and robbed a person of his belongings and then tied him with a rope and dumped him in a wheat farm.

They said that the victim somehow managed to report the incident to Rescue 15.

After receiving the information, the SHO of Garh Police Station, Inspector Rana Mazharul Haq, along with ASI Amir Farman and other personnel, arrived at the spot.

When the alleged bandits saw the official vehicle, they opened fire on the police personnel indiscriminately.

As a result of bilateral firing, two alleged bandits, Lal alias Lalu, and Abid sustained injuries.

They were being taken to the hospital in a government vehicle but they died on the way, while their three accomplices escaped by taking advantage of the dark.

City Police Officer Ali Nasir Rizvi announced cash prizes and certificates for the police personnel who had taken part in the police encounter.

Police sources said that the deceased had also made an attempt to rob a police constable, Asif Shehzad.

However the constable challenged the robbers who then shot and injured him.

According to the police, the two deceased robbers had had a criminal history and were wanted by the police in several cases.

Meanwhile, three suspects opened fire on a police vehicle to help a partner of theirs, Arsalan, escape from police custody in the jurisdiction of Rodala Police Station.

Due to the firing by the suspects, Arsalan, who had been under arrest on charges of robbery, sustained injuries.

One of the tires of the police vehicle also got burst due to the firing by the suspects.

The injured robber died while he was being shifted to a hospital.

According to police, the deceased had been involved in 47 cases of heinous nature.

Police had started an operation to arrest Arsalan’s accomplices.

In the month of January this year, three alleged bandits were killed in a “police encounter” near the River Sutlej.

According to police sources, one alleged bandit was identified as Abdul Majeed, head of the Khapra Gang, who was a symbol of fear in South Punjab.

Sama Satta Police Station had received information that the robbers had been moving towards a hotel from the River Sutlej.

Police blocked the street adjacent to the hotel. The robbers allegedly started firing at the police. The police responded by firing from a defensive position.

According to a police spokesman, the alleged bandits were killed by the firing of their own colleagues.

 

Published in The Express Tribune, March 27^th, 2023.