VEHARI, May 9: Police claimed to have killed two dacoits in an encounter in the Tibba Sultanpur area here on Friday.

Reports said six dacoits on two motorcycles stopped head-constable Mukhtar Husain, who was going to Mailsi in plainclothes, near Jhundwala Bridge and snatched his two-wheeler.

After receiving information, Tibba Sultanpur and Mailsi police raided the hideout of the alleged robbers in the rural area of Tibba Sultanpur. On seeing the police, the dacoits opened fire which was retaliated. In a one-hour shootout, two of the dacoits, Sadiq Shah and Gazanfar of Multan, were killed and one Babar injured. The police took the injured man into custody and admitted him to the rural health centre of Tibba Sultanpura.

Their three other accomplices, however, managed to escape.

SHO Fiaz Shah told Dawn that three pistols were recovered from them. He admitted that these dacoits were involved only one incident of motorcycle snatching from head-constable Mukhtar Husain. He said no family member of the dead had reached there for the bodies.