Passerby, suspect killed in alleged encounter with police

ABBOTTABAD: Two people, including a passerby, were killed and a Station House Officer (SHO) injured in an alleged encounter with the police on the busy Shahra-e-Resham in Abbottabad on Friday evening.

District Police Officer (DPO) Muhammad Ali Gandapur told the the media that they were acting on a tip off regarding the presence of some outlaws in a house in Kareem Pur. As the police party raided the house, three armed persons opened fire at the police party and fled in a vehicle towards Mansehra.

The police party chased the outlaws and after a brief exchange of fire managed to arrest one of them. The suspect was identified as Hayat Gul, a resident of Chilas, while his two accomplices managed to escape.

In the encounter, according to DPO, a passerby was killed. Identified as Wajid Khan, he was an employee of Public Health Department Abbottabad. He was killed on the spot.

SHO Abdul Hameed Khan of Cantonment Police was seriously injured in the exchange of fire.

The injured outlaw and police officer were shifted to Ayub Teaching Hospital where Gul succumbed to injuries while the SHO was admitted for medical care. Doctors described his condition as out of danger.

DPO Gandapur said that the Hayat Gul was wanted by the police in a number of robberies and other criminal acts.