Woman among four 'robbers' killed

SHO, constable injured in Green Town shootout

LAHORE:

The police killed four suspected robbers, including a woman, in a five-hour encounter in Green Town on Saturday. Two police officials were injured in the clash.

Officials said the gang was known for committing robberies in police uniform and had been under surveillance for a string of high-profile heists, including a recent bank robbery in Gujranwala.

Green Town Police Station SHO Khurram Shehzad and Constable Muhammad Asif suffered injuries in the encounter and were admitted to Jinnah Hospital.

DIG Operations Faisal Kamran visited the hospital to enquire after the injured officials and inspected the crime scene. According to an official statement, he commended the police for tracking and confronting the gang.

The encounter took place after SHO Khurram Shehzad received intelligence reports about the gang hiding in a rented house in Green Town following a robbery in the area.

When a police team, backed by the Dolphin Squad and Elite Force, arrived at the location, the suspects opened fire, injuring SHO Shehzad and Constable Asif.

During a prolonged gunfight, the suspects identified as Zain Akbar, Ali Raza, Rizwan and Iqra were killed.

Three other gang members managed to escape.

The police said the gang had recently carried out several armed robberies targeting people withdrawing cash from banks.

Known to operate in fake police uniform and vehicles, they had conducted three major heists in the past week.

The DIG said the encounter had thwarted planned crimes of the gang.

A case was registered and the police have set up checkpoints on roads to capture the remaining suspects.

Meanwhile, a guard of honor was presented at the grave of martyred Constable Mohammad Khalid on the 17th anniversary of his sacrifice.

Constable Khalid had been martyred on Nov 9, 2012, during an operation against criminals while he was posted at Nawab Town Police Station. On the occasion, Capital City Police Officer Bilal Saddique Kamyana praised the sacrifices of police martyrs and said the department continues to make every effort to ensure the welfare of their families by utilising all available resources.

The police also arrested three members of a gang involved in incidents of motorcycle theft across the city.

In an operation based on a tip-off, Gulistan Town police apprehended the gang's ringleader Rajab along with his accomplices Azhar and Wajid.

The police recovered five stolen motorcycles and tools used in the thefts, including cutters, pliers, two pistols and ammunition.

The police said the suspects had confessed to targeting unlocked motorcycles in illegal parking lots and busy market areas.

Police officials said the recovered motorcycles were also linked to several unsolved cases of theft in the area. A case was registered against the suspects and investigations were under way.

In another incident, the Dolphin Squad apprehended two men all3gedlyplanning a crime in Hanjarwal and seized a fake pistol from their possession. According to a spokesperson, Dolphin Squad personnel noticed while patrolling the area that the suspects were acting suspiciously and monitoring potential targets.

Upon spotting the police, the suspects attempted to flee, but were captured. The arrested men, identified as Usman and Mahmoodul Hasan, were found carrying a fake pistol and ammunition.

They were handed over to Hanjarwal police for investigation.

Man torches himself, traffic official

A rickshaw driver set himself on fire and grasped a traffic assistant near Data Darbar, leaving both severely injured. The incident took place in a no-parking zone from where rickshaw drivers had been repeatedly asked to move their vehicles.

Traffic Assistant Waqar had several drivers to vacate the zone. While most drivers complied, one refused and set himself ablaze and then grasped Waqar, resulting in serious burn injuries to both.

Emergency service worker transported them to a hospital. Chief Traffic Officer Ammara Athar instructed the SP city to conduct an inquiry.