KASUR: Two robbers, one of them with a Rs0.5 million bounty on his head, were killed in an encounter with police in Pattoki on Friday.

Reports said that six unidentified robbers deprived Bashir Ahmed of his bike near Rehmanpura Town.

Upon being informed, the Pattoki City and Saddar police picketed near Edhi Centre on Multan Road and tried to stop suspected bikers, but they opened fire which was retaliated.

About one-hour shootout left a robber dead and another injured while their four accomplices managed to escape. The injured robber also died while being shifted to a hospital.

One of the dead robbers was identified as Khizar Hayat of Khanewal district and was a ringleader of an inter-district gang. He was wanted in 49 cases of robbery, dacoity and murder and had Rs0.5m bounty on his head, police claimed.

Police said Hayat’s father Muhammad Aslam was also wanted in 33 cases and his mother in 30 cases of drug-trafficking. The identity of the other dead dacoit could not be established.

RALLY: Traders of Pattoki fruit and vegetable market on Friday staged a rally against what they said failure of the Kasur police in controlling crimes in the tehsil.

They also observed a shutter-down strike in protest.

Led by Fruit and Vegetable Market President Malik Muhammad Nawaz, scores of traders, vendors and farmers gathered at Kutchery Chowk and marched up to the Main Bazaar of Pattoki.

Traders said over 12 incidents of robbery had occurred in a few days in Pattoki, but the police were taking no action against the criminals.

ARRESTED: The Ganda Singh police claimed to have arrested a drug pusher and recovered 8kg heroin from him at Fatohiwala village on Friday.

Acting on a tip-off, police raided a house, arrested Umar alias Punno and recovered 8kg heroin from him.

Further investigation is under way.

TWO KILLED: Two persons were killed in a hit and run incident on Friday near Marathian village in Kanganpur.

Reports said Asif and Sabir were on their way home from Kanganpur to Khudian when a rickshaw hit their motorcycle. Consequently, both Asif and Sabir died on the spot.

The rickshaw driver managed to escape from the scene.

Police were looking into the matter.

Published in Dawn, October 25th, 2014