Encounter: Robber killed, two flee

FAISALABAD:

Tandlianwala Saddar police on Monday killed a man in what they called an encounter with robbers. They said two of his accomplices had escaped.

Police said three armed men riding a motorcycle without a registration plate had stopped Ateequr Rehman Bhatti, a resident of Jinnah Colony, on Rehman Shah Garh Road near a petrol station. They deprived him of the cash he had been carrying, his mobile phone and his motorcycle, and fled. They said Rehman informed the Tandlianwala Saddar police, who alerted a patrol team already in the area.

The station house officer and his team chased the robbers. They caught them near Chak 403-GB and told them to surrender. They, however, shot at the police. The police shot back. One of the robbers was hit and died on the spot. The other two escaped. The station house officer said the police had recovered a stolen motorcycle, cash and mobile phone.

A sub-machinegun was found on the deceased robber, who was identified as Muhammad Hussain alias Jabro of Thatha Naurang near Faisalabad.

Police said Hussain had been arrested for robbery a few days ago. They said he had fled the lockup on Sunday night and had also stolen a sub-machinegun from Constable Haq Nawaz. Police said Hussain was wanted for 42 robberies. Police are looking for the rest of the robbers.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 5^th, 2013.