KARACHI, May 18: A bandit was gunned down and a police constable was critically wounded in a bank dacoity in North Nazimabad on Wednesday morning. Police said that cash was delivered to Habib Bank, Sakhi Hasan branch, by the delivery van at around 11:30am. A little later three men walked into the branch and took away Rs1.5 million from the counter at gunpoint.

As they were retreating, HBL guard posted inside the premises opened fire killing one of the suspects. When his accomplices rushed out from the breach, they encountered police constable Deedar Hussain, 32, and opened fire at him, TPO North Nazimabad Fayyaz Sumbal said.

The constable, posted at the bank branch, suffered bullet wounds. He was rushed to Abbasi Shaheed Hospital, where doctors tried to stop bleeding. They immediately referred him to the JPMC or any other hospital capable to handle such an emergency without wasting time. Subsequently, he was taken to Ziauddin Hospital.

The TPO said that Deedar suffered two bullet wounds in the chest while third bullet pierced through his neck. He said that the CT scan taken at the hospital showed that his vital organs like lungs were safe.

The bank, where Deedar was posted, volunteered to bear all the expenses for his treatment. Till filing of this report, the police constable stated to be in a critical condition was still in the operation theatre.

The bandit could not be identified. His body was shifted to Abbasi Shaheed Hospital for post-mortem. Following legal formalities, the body was shifted to the Edhi morgue for identification, police said.