FAISALABAD, Nov 9: An alleged robber was killed while his two accomplices beat a retreat on Sunday night in an encounter with police in Samundri, about 48kms from here.

Three masked bandits busted into the offices of a cigarette distribution agency owned by former tehsil Nazim and PPP district chief Rana Farooq Saeed Khan. After looting hundreds of thousands of rupees in cash from there, the outlaws escaped from the scene. However, the manager on duty immediately informed the police who encircled the area.

The Samundri and Tarkhani police teams, headed by the Samundri DSP, intercepted the outlaws along a sem-nullah of the area. Fearing their arrest, the outlaws opened fire on the police which was returned.

The shooting between the bandits and police continued for about an hour, resulting in the killing of an alleged bandit. While his two accomplices managed to escape from the scene by taking advantage of the darkness.

The police took into custody two motorcycles, a Kalashnikov, two pistols and thousands of rupees.