MANSEHRA, Oct 26: District police officer Khurram Rasheed said on Saturday that the robbers who were killed in encounters with police in Mansehra and Abbottabad after a bank heist here in August had links with a terrorist outfit involved in subversive activities in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

He was speaking at a ceremony held here to pay homage to SHO Mubarak Hussain who was killed during the encounter with the robbers in August. SSP investigation Mohammad Arif, DSP Mohammad Tariq and family members of Mubarak Hussain were also present on the occasion.

“Five robbers were killed by police after the bank heist and one is still at large. These outlaws had links with a terrorist outfit,” said Mr Rasheed.

Mr Arif who led the investigation in the case told the participants that the incident occurred on August 2 this year when six armed robbers stormed into a local bank branch on Shinkiari road and exchanged fire with police, killing the SHO.

Two robbers were also killed on the spot, while three were killed in an encounter in Abbottabad later the same day.

He said that identification of two of the outlaws killed in the encounters had been established and DNA tests of others were carried out for ascertaining their identity.

He said that so far two people having links with the killed outlaws were also arrested.

He said that though according to the bank statement the dacoits had stolen an amount of Rs9 million, but Mansehra police had recovered Rs2 million and Abbottabad police Rs5.5 million from the bags seized from the dacoits killed in encounters.

He said that SHO Mubarak Hussain laid down his life in the line of duty and showed bravery to thwart the dacoity attempt.

The bank representative gave away Rs0.5 million cheque to son of Mr Hussain. Fateha was also offered for the deported soul of the SHO.