FAISALABAD, April 23: The Tandlianwala SHO and five alleged dacoits were killed in an encounter on the Faisalabad-Jaranwala Road early Wednesday morning.

Reports said the police personnel of the People’s Colony police station signalled a suspected car (LRF-8864) at a picket on the Faisalabad-Jaranwala Road at about 9pm on Tuesday, but the driver accelerated and managed to escape. A message was aired with instructions to intercept the vehicle.

At about 2am on Wednesday, Tandlianwala SHO Zafar Abbas stopped the car at a picket some 65km from the city, and overpowered its driver, later identified as Pervaiz Iqbal of Lahore.

During interrogation, Iqbal confessed that he was a member of the gang which used to commit dacoities, highway robberies and other heinous crimes in Faisalabad city and its adjoining districts. He told the police that his accomplices were residing in a rented house in Naamat Colony No 2 in the jurisdiction of the People’s Colony police.

The Tandlianwala SHO reported the matter to the district police officer and the Saddar Superintendent of Police.

A police team, headed by city SP Tauqeer Hayat, Saddar SP Mohammed Osama, People’s Colony ASP Shahzad Sultan and the Tandlianwala DSP, encircled the house of the outlaws. The police asked the inmates to surrender, but they opened indiscriminate fire which was retaliated. The outlaws also threw four hand-grenades on the police, but they exploded inside their hideout.

During the crossfire, SHO Zafar Abbas Calas sustained serious bullet injuries and died on the spot. Batala Colony SHO Rana Umer Draz, sub-inspector Rana Mohammed Akram and constable Mahboob Ahmad also sustained injuries.

Commandos of the Elite Force and the reserve police also rushed to the spot and joined the operation against the criminals. After a four-hour shootout, the police succeeded in killing all the five outlaws. They were identified as Mohammed Iqbal of Toba Tek Singh, Younas, Safdar Bhatti, Amir of Gujranwala and Zaigham of Lahore.

DPO Zafar Abbas Lak told newsmen that the killed outlaws had committed dacoities and highway robberies in Faisalabad, Jhang, Toba Tek Singh and adjoining areas.

He claimed that three Kalashnikovs, as many pistols and three hand-grenades were recovered from the outlaws. He said a police team had been constituted for the arrest of other accomplices.

Meanwhile, the local police claimed to have arrested a property dealer, Sadiq, who had struck a deal between the house owner and the outlaws. He is being interrogated by senior police officers.