April 20, 2008	Sunday	Rabi-us-Sani 13, 1429

SIALKOT, April 19: Two robbers and as many passers-by were killed while a sub-inspector (SI) was seriously injured when the police stormed a house in Ganjiyaanwali Khurd village near Uggoki locality on Saturday to liberate the members of a Christian family taken hostage by the robbers as human shelter. The police also rescued the family members, including children.

District Police Officer (DPO) Muhammad Ameen said two unidentified robbers equipped with automatic weapons intercepted Akram in Hajipura locality here on Saturday morning and snatched his cellular phone and fled. He said the police’s patrolling squad started chasing the robbers who reached Ganjiyaanwali Khurd village and entered the house of a Christian labourer, Sadiq Masih, forcefully and took the family members hostage.

The DPO said the police held negotiations with the robbers for eight hours through loudspeakers and cellular phones urging them to release the hostages, but the captors continued demanding a safe passage for their exit. Frustrated robbers later opened indiscriminate fire, killing two passersby -- Naveed Ahmad, 22, and Arif Humayun Butt, 42 -- on the spot.

This action led the police to storm the house to liberate the hostages and both the robbers were killed and SI Abdul Rasool of the Sadar police was critically injured in the ensuing shootout. The robbers are yet to be identified and their bodies have been sent for autopsies.

SI Rasool was taken to Allama Iqbal Memorial Hospital’ Intensive Care Unit where he is said to be in critical condition.

The Uggoki police have registered a case and started investigations.