24 January 2004	Saturday	01 Zilhaj 1424

KARACHI, Jan 23: An alleged bandit died and a police official was injured in what police claimed to be an encounter in Lyari on Friday.

Lyari Town Police Officer Ali Mohsin told Dawn that on a tip-off that some suspects were present at Mauripur Road, a police party from Baghdadi police station was dispatched.

Seeing the police party the three suspects tried to escape, the TPO said, adding that Baghdadi SHO Mohsin tried to hold one of the suspects, when the suspect, in a bid to escape, stabbed the police official with a dagger.

Following his attempt, the police opened fire, critically injuring the suspect, TPO claimed. The TPO said that the two accomplices of the suspect managed to escape from the spot.

The injured suspect was taken to the Civil Hospital, where he was pronounced dead on arrival, he said. The injured SHO was also provided treatment at the hospital.

The police recovered a TT pistol from the possession of the dead bandit, identified as Nasir. Police said that Nasir was an associate of a notorious dacoit, Rehman.