PESHAWAR, Aug 29: Six alleged hardened criminals were killed during an ‘encounter’ with police at Dildar Ghari bridge on River Kabul in district Charsadda on Friday, police officials said.

No one from the police side was hurt during the 30-minute encounter which started at 3.30am, officials in Batagram police station told Dawn on telephone.

The police claimed they had prior information about the plan of an inter-provincial gang of robbers to enter Charsadda through Dildar Ghari bridge on River Kabul from Shabqadar town.

The Charsadda police cordoned off the entire region till the six-man gang arrived near the roadblock set up on the bridge, they said.

When the ‘robbers’ vehicle was forced to stop, the police asked them to surrender, but they resorted to indiscriminate fire. In retaliation, the police also opened fire and killed the six on the spot, the officials said.

Those killed were Samar, son of Nazar Khan, a resident of Shabqadar; Sawar Khan, son of Daray Khan, a resident of Shah Jee Korona (Shabqadar); Bilal, son of Saleem, a resident of Zangali (Peshawar); Hayat Nabi, son of Owsar Khan,; Kamran, son of Mokarram Khan, resident of Mian Kalli (Shabqadar). The name of the sixth ‘robber’ could not be known.

Police said that sometime back Hayat Nabi had killed his brother and sister-in-law (brother’s wife) over a minor family dispute. All the deceased were also proclaimed offenders and wanted to police in kidnapping for ransom, murder, attempt to murder and robbery cases registered with almost all the police stations in Charsadda district.

Police also recovered four Kalashnikovs, one rocket launcher, two pistols and dozens of cartridges, they added.