The Rawalpindi police claimed to have shot dead three suspected robbers during a gun battle late on Saturday night within the limits of the Rawat police station. The ensuing cross-firing also resulted in the martyrdom of a police constable while two others sustained firearm injuries, a police spokesperson said.
According to the spokesperson, on the information of the snatching of an expensive mobile phone and other belongings from a citizen in the Dhamiyal area, a police team while tracking the phone reached a plaza situated in a private housing society in the Rawat area.
On the reports of the presence of the accused in the plaza, Rawat SHO Hamid Kazmi and the police team conducted a raid during which armed suspects tried to escape while opening fire at the police party.
The police retaliated the fire and as a result, one robber was killed on the spot while his two injured accomplices succumbed to their injuries on their escape route.
“Constable Adeel Zafar of Dhamial police station embraced martyrdom while Shahzad Adil and Ashir are critically injured,” the spokesperson said.
After receiving information about the encounter, Saddar SP Nabeel Khokhar reached the site with a heavy police contingent.
The body of the martyred constable and the two injured personnel were shifted to the hospital and a search operation was carried out in the neighbourhood.
According to the Saddar SP, robbers tried to escape after a mobile snatching bid and when the police chased them down they opened fire on the police and were killed in cross-firing.
Paying tributes to the deceased constable, Khokhar said: “The martyred constable is the hero and an asset of the Punjab police.”
“The martyred and the injured constables along with the bodies of the accused have been transferred to the hospital while the process of identifying the accused has also started,” he added.
Subsequently, Rawalpindi RPO Syed Khurram Ali, CPO Syed Khalid Hamdani and SSP Operations Faisal Salim arrived at the hospital. They inquired about the health of the injured policemen and directed the hospital administration to provide the best possible treatment facilities to the injured cops.
“Constable Adeel Zafar Shaheed and injured constables Ashir and Adil fought valiantly with the robbers. The martyrs and ghazis are our pride. The Rawalpindi police will do anything for the safety of citizens and will not hesitate to give any kind of sacrifice in the line of duty,” the police officers said.
Martyred cop laid to rest
The funeral prayers of Constable Adeel Zafar were held on Sunday morning in the Police Lines Headquarters with complete protocol after which the deceased was laid to rest with full official honours.
Rawalpindi RPO Syed Khurram Ali, CPO Syed Khali Hamdani, SSP Operations Faisal Salim, senior police officers, family members of the martyred cop and a huge number of police officers and people attended the funeral prayer.
According to the police spokesperson, Zafar left behind his parents, a widow and two sons.
Published in The Express Tribune, September 11th, 2023.
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