VEHARI, Oct 6: Two vendors were killed while two other persons, including a robber, were injured during a robbery at a jeweller’s shop in Main Bazaar of Gago town, teshil Burewala, some 50km from here on Sunday.

Three masked robbers broke into Bashir Jewellers, held the shop owner, Shafique, and employees hostage at gunpoint and took away 50-tola gold ornaments and Rs0.5 million cash.

When they were fleeing, the shop owner and some vegetable vendors put up a resistance to them. At this, one of the robbers opened fire which the shop owner retaliated.

During the exchange of fire, vegetable vendor Fahim died on the spot while another vendor Basharat, the jeweller’s employee Shehzad and a dacoit were injured. The robbers picked up their injured accomplice and fled on a motorcycle. Basharat was rushed to the Rural Health Centre, Gago, where the doctors and paramedics were not available.

Later, he died on the way to the THQ Hospital, Burewala, due to bleeding while Shehzad was admitted to the hospital.

When Gago police reached the crime scene after one hour delay, the traders staged a protest demonstration against them for not responding to emergency calls. The protesters blocked the Lahore-Multan Road for two hours by placing bodies on it.

They raised slogans against the police and rising robbery incidents in the area, accusing the police of protecting the criminals. They also forced their entry into the Gago Police Station and ransacked furniture and other material.

However, they dispersed after Burewala ASP Asif Ahmed gave them assurance regarding action against the robbers. The traders warned of a strike for an indefinite period if the police did not arrest the dacoits during the next few days.

The FIR of the incident was not registered till filing of this report. ASP Asif Ahmed said the FIR would be registered after autopsy of both the deceased and that two police teams were formed to trace the dacoits.