Cop, banned outfit member killed in Samundri

FAISALABAD:

A police constable was martyred and a member of a banned organisation was killed during an exchange of fire in Samundri on Monday, while another police official was injured and shifted to hospital, officials said.

The incident took place in the City Samundri Police Station limits, Chak 140-GB, where police had launched a raid to arrest suspected members of a proscribed group.

As the team approached the hideout, the suspect, identified as Asif, son of Ghulam Mustafa, a resident of 140-GB, allegedly opened fire on the police vehicle.

Constable Iftikhar, son of Ilyas of 463-GB, who was driving the police vehicle, and Constable Ali Raza of 216-GB sustained bullet injuries. Constable Iftikhar later succumbed to his wounds and was declared a martyr.

Following the attack, the suspect fled to a nearby mosque and reportedly used the loudspeaker to make announcements.

Police reinforcements arrived at the scene and cordoned off the area, ordering the suspect to surrender.

Instead, he allegedly opened fire again on the police party.

In the retaliatory fire, the banned outfit's member Asif was killed.

Police sources said the suspect had previously served in a sensitive agency in Gujranwala but had fled service, and was believed to be an active member of a proscribed group.

The injured Constable Ali Raza was shifted to the hospital after receiving first aid. Tension gripped the area as a large number of residents gathered at the scene following reports of the shootout.

Senior police officials—including RPO Faisalabad Zeeshan Asghar and SSP Investigation Nasir Mahmood Bajwa—rushed to the spot, oversaw the operation, and ordered the bodies of Constable Iftikhar and the deceased suspect to be shifted to Samundri Hospital for post-mortem.