TAXILA: Two men and a woman belonging to a banned sectarian organisation and a member of a law enforcement agency were killed in a clash in Pind Ghakhara village, about 6km from here, on Wednesday.

Police sources said that acting on a tip-off that some suspects were hiding in the village, a joint team of the law enforcement agency and the counterterrorism department raided a house, but suspects opened fire on them.

Police retaliated and shot dead the suspects — Javaid, his wife Naheeda Bibi and son Ahmed — and took into custody another suspect Mohammed Usman.

One law enforcement official, identified as Sarfaraz, lost his life, while two other people, including a security man, were injured in the clash.

Later, police and law enforcement agencies launched a search operation in the area.

When contacted, police Inspector Basheer Khan said the deceased were under watch because they were believed to be associated with a banned outfit.

He said Javiad’s brother Sadeeq Khan, who is UC Nazim, was put under Fourth Schedule of the anti-terror law due to his alleged links with the banned religious organisation.

Javaid, son of Abdul Ghani, worked in a government organisation in Taxila and according to reports he had visited Afghanistan twice.

Mr Khan said one Kalashnikov and a pistol were found at the house.

Police registered a case under Sections 302, 324 and 34 of the Pakistan Penal Code and the Anti-Terrorism Act.

Published in Dawn, May 5th, 2016