Wanted 'robbers' shot dead

Two members of an inter-district robbery gang were shot dead in an encounter with the Counter Crime Department (CCD) on Jahanian Road in Khanewal.

The suspects, Naveed and Nadeem, were wanted in multiple armed robbery and home invasion cases across Punjab, including in Khanewal, Sahiwal, Vehari, Okara and Lahore.

Police said the suspects had been evading arrest for several weeks. They were allegedly involved in a string of high-profile robberies, including a recent incident in W Block, People's Colony, Khanewal, where they held women hostage at gunpoint and stole gold jewellery worth over Rs10 million and Rs270,000 in cash from a banker's residence.

They were also accused of looting several shops under the City Police Station's jurisdiction before fleeing while firing indiscriminately.

In response to the surge in criminal activity, Khanewal District Police Officer Muhammad Ismail Kharrak and CCD in-charge Mehar Ishaq Sial had deployed special teams and established checkpoints at city entry and exit points.

On the day of the encounter, the suspects were seen entering the city on a motorcycle. After breaking into a vacant house in Chowk Maki, they were spotted and fled the scene. They then attempted to rob a shop at Awan Chowk but failed again and continued to flee.

The first armed exchange took place near Football Chowk on Stadium Road, where the suspects opened fire on police.

The police retaliated, managing to puncture their motorcycle's rear tyre. The suspects continued to flee to Lakri Mandi, where they abandoned the motorcycle, hijacked a rickshaw and headed toward Lahore Mor. At a CCD checkpoint near the MEPCO office, police signalled the rickshaw to stop.