TOBA TEK SINGH, Sept 8: Three members of a gang, including the son of a PPP former MPA, were killed in an exchange of fire with their rival gang in the government forest, some 50 kilometres from here, on Sunday night.

The head of an alleged gang of robbers, Ali Raza, and the son of PPP’s Ghulam Abbas Gadhi, Nasir, had a rivalry and both the gangs had killed each other’s members in the past. The Ali Raza gang reportedly comprised 100 members who were hiding in the forest spread over 11,000 acres of land.

It is learnt that Nasir got information that Ali Raza was staying in the forest near Kothian Wala in Chak 723-GB (Pirmahal). Nasir entered the forest along with four people. As soon as Ali Raza group saw them, they started firing which was retaliated by Nasir and his associates. Nasir, and his fellows, Sher Bahadur of Chak 184-GB and Jehangir Khan of Chak 715-GB, were killed on the spot while their fourth accomplice, Manzoor Ahmad of Chak 724-GB, sustained injuries. He was admitted to the Pirmahal Rural Health Centre.

It is suspected that Manzoor was an informer of Ali Raza gang. There was no information about the killing or injuring of any Ali Raza gang members till the filing of this report.

Nasir Gadhi had also remained in jail in murder and robbery cases.

The Ali Raza gang was a symbol of terror not only for the common man but for the influential landlords as well. It is stated that whenever they delivered a hand-written letter to any rich man to arrange money for the gang, he sent them money without informing police.

The gang had been hiding in the forest for the last one year and police had made many unsuccessful attempts to arrest them.

When contacted, a Pirmahal police official said police were following the Ali Raza gang but the forest was so much vast that the location of the gang could not be ascertained.

LITERACY WALK: A walk was arranged to mark the World Literacy Day.