GUJRAT, Feb 9: Two nominated killers of an ASI were shot dead in what police claimed in an encounter near Jorra Jalalpur early Saturday morning.

A district police spokesman told newsmen that ASI Riaz Ahmad had been shot dead while constable Rauf sustained injuries when five outlaws fired at them during a dacoity bid in Subhan restaurant on the GT Road near Julliani on Thursday night. The dacoits however managed to escape after the incident. The injured constable however identified two of the outlaws as Idrees and Irfan.

Saddar police had registered a case against the absconding bandits.

Initial investigation revealed that former union council chairman Chaudhry Akhtar was harbouring the dacotis. A police party conducted a raid at his outhouse and nabbed Akhtar along with his three accomplices — Mudassar, Satwat Shahzad and Tajjamul Hussain.

Another police party on a tip-off that nominated outlaws were present at Azam’s outhouse near Jorra Jalalpur raided the place and besieged the area. Taking in the situation, the outlaws opened fire on police which was returned. The crossfire continued for over an hour which left two dacoits — Idrees and Irfan — dead while their third accomplice managed to escape.

Police also recovered a Kalashnikov, a rifle, a pump action rifle and Rs13,000 in cash which they had snatched from customers at Subhan restaurant.

SSP Riaz Ahmad told newsmen that PO Idrees was wanted by Saddar and Civil Lines police in a number of cases.