Cop killed, two injured in firefight with bandits

Police identify four suspects who allegedly stole a car before face-off

RAWALPINDI:

A Dolphin Squad official was killed while two people including a cop suffered injuries in a crossfire with some alleged robbers on Murree Road in Waris Khan police limits late on Monday.

Police said Dolphin officials patrolling the area at Taxila Stand tried to stop a suspicious car coming from Murree Road around 10.05pm. Instead of stopping, four suspects riding in the car opened fire on the policemen and sped away towards Murrir Chowk on Murree Road. The patrolling officials began chasing the car. The suspects continued firing at the cops who retaliated. The suspects then drove the car to Murree Road’s Committee Chowk where a crossfire again took place between the two sides. The firing left two policemen and a passer-by identified as Abdullah. The suspects then fled towards Bhabra Bazaar. Police rushed to the crime scene and impounded the car.

SSP Operations Hafiz Kamran Asghar said the suspects had stolen the car before facing the cops.

The injured cops identified as Ismail Rauf and Muhammad Asim and the citizen were shifted to Benazir Bhutto Hospital where Constable Ismail Rauf breathed his last, he added.

The SSP further said that the police were hunting and tracking down the runway suspects.

Later, the police investigators identified the suspects with the help of an arms license found in the stolen vehicle and the CCTV footage. The four suspects who abandoned the vehicle and fled the scene hail from Tank, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

The funeral prayer for the martyred officer was offered at the police headquarters. The Rawalpindi commissioner, deputy commissioner, SSP operations officers of the military and other law enforcement agencies attended the funeral prayers. A guard of honour was presented to the martyred cop. Rauf’s body was sent to his hometown for burial.

A case on charges of terrorism, murder, attempted murder and other provisions was registered against the suspects and raids were in progress to apprehend the accused.

Published in The Express Tribune May 1^st, 2024.