May 21, 2007	Monday	Jamadi-ul-Awwal 04, 1428

GUJRAT, May 20: Three people wanted for kidnapping for ransom were reportedly gunned down by Kharian circle police in an ‘encounter’ near Utam, Dinga, on Sunday.

A police spokesman said police was tipped off the family of Lateef, who was kidnapped from Mandir, would pay Rs10 million ransom to his captors at a place near Kotla Arab Ali Khan.

Alleged kidnappers riding on a motorcycle arrived there, received Rs10 million from the family and released Lateef. Police, which had besieged the area, asked the kidnappers to surrender but they escaped to Kharian.

Police chased them and near Utam, Dinga, the kidnappers took cover in Bela forest and fired on police which was retaliated.

The one-hour crossfire ended in the deaths of the three kidnappers, Nadeem of Dhonkal, Tariq of Gujrat and Rafiq of Lahore. Police found two Kalashnikovs, a 30-bore pistol and Rs10 million at the site of the encounter.