FAISALABAD, Oct 7: Police claimed on Tuesday to have shot dead the hardened criminal who lobbed hand-grenades on the house of a lawyer, killing his two children and injuring three members of his family. The ‘encounter’ took place at Chak 95-GB.

Shaukat Ali alias Neela, who was wanted by police for involvement in several cases of heinous crime, along with three accomplices, had lobbed hand grenades at the house of Advocate Zahid Pervez on Sept 27 at Chak 101-GB (Jaranwala Saddar police precinct). The police said Shaukat had an enmity with the lawyer.

The criminals hurled two hand grenades and also opened indiscriminate firing resulting in death of Pervez’s three-year-old son Jawwad and five-year-old daughter Wajeeha. Shamim Bibi, the lawyer’s mother, wife Zahida and nephew Ali Raza, 18, were injured.

According to the police, Shaukat and his accomplice deprived a passerby of cash and cell phone at Chak 93-GB and drove away with his motorcycle.

Receiving information, the police set up pickets in several localities and spotted the absconders near Pul Seem. Seeing the police, the criminals opened fire which prompted the police to retaliate and as a result, killing Shaukat. His accomplice, however, made good his escape.

The police also claimed recovering a Kalashnikov and a few rounds from the deceased. A case was registered against Shaukat, Anwar, Nawaz and some of their accomplices for killing the children of Advocate Pervez.