LAHORE, July 31: Lahore police added two more ‘trophies’ to its credit early on Wednesday when it shot dead two alleged criminals in yet another ‘shootout’, this time in K-Block of the Defence Housing Authority.

Police claimed that two other suspects managed to escape amid heavy gunfire. This was the third police encounter in the last four days, raising the criminals’ death count to 10.

Earlier, South Cantonment police and Khana Crimes Investigation Agency police had gunned down three and five criminals, respectively, in what was claimed to be retaliatory fire.

Defence B police were alerted by Defence A police through wireless in small hours that a car (LWJ-543) stolen by unidentified people from DHA’s Y-Block was passing through the limits of the former.

Earlier, Defence A patrolling police began chasing the suspected car on an emergency call reporting the vehicle theft.

On being alerted, the Defence B patrolling police set up pickets on different roads.

A team first signaled the suspected car in Phase-V, but the occupants opened fire on police vehicle and sped towards Doongi Ground. Two bullets hit the vehicle, the police said.

The police began chasing the suspects and a shootout took place in K-Block, resulting in killing of two of the suspects while as many others managed to escape while firing at the police.

Police seized two weapons and bullets, besides the stolen car, and shifted the bodies to the Mayo Hospital’s morgue for autopsy. The dead outlaws appeared to be in their early 30s and 20s.

Police identified one of the suspects as Adnan of Bhatta Chowk who was allegedly involved in a number of robbery and theft incidents, including vehicle theft.