June 30, 2008	Monday	Jamadi-us-Sani 25, 1429

ATTOCK, June 29: A proclaimed offender (PO) was killed allegedly in an encounter with police near village Gandakus of Kalachita in the jurisdiction of the Basal police station, while a man drowned in Indus river near Jand.

In the first incident, the police arrested the proclaimed offender’s brother and another man and recovered weapons from them. However, his father, also a PO, managed to escape from the scene during the operation.

A joint team of police and elite force raided the area to arrest the two POs — Sher Afzal and his son Muqadar Khan — as well as their associates.

The police claimed that the outlaws opened fire on the raiding party to avoid arrest. In the exchange of fire, Muqadar Khan was killed on the spot while his brother Sher Mohammad was injured who was arrested by the police along with his fellow Mubarik Shah, the police said.

The police also claimed to have recovered weapons including a small machine gun, a rifle, and two pistols from their possession.

Later, the police shifted the body and the injured to Tehsil Headquarters Hospital Jand. Basal police have registered a case against the outlaws.

According to the police, Sher Afzal and Muqadar Khan, residents of Jand tehsil, had killed Maqbool Banka Khan at village Urangabad on November 30, 2006. Since then, both had been absconders and were later declared POs.

In another incident, a man drowned in Indus river near Jand.

Abdul Rauf was taking bath when he was swept away by the strong waves of the river. His body was later fished out by the rescuers.

Meanwhile, a bicycle rider, Liaqut Ali was injured after a wagon hit him near Fatehjang on Kohat-Pindi road on Saturday evening. He was rushed to the Tehsil Headquarters Hospital (THQ) Fatehjang.

Six other persons including two women sustained injuries when two coaches collided with each other near Jand on the highway. All the injured were taken to the THQ hospital Jand.