KASUR: An alleged robber first exchanged fire with police and later committed suicide to avoid his arrest on Wednesday near Gahlan village in Pattoki, police said.

On Wednesday, Pattoki Saddar police were alerted that two robbers riding a motorcycle were on their way to Gahlan village after robberies in Pattoki and Sara-i-Mughal.

Police picketed near Gahlan. Gunfire erupted and the gunmen took cover in a nearby nursery. When the smoke cleared, one of the robbers had fled the scene while the other shot at himself and died instantly, apparently out of fear of being arrested.

Police said Malangi was wanted in eight cases of robbery with Kasur police. Police found illegal weapons, gold ornaments, mobile phones and cash on him.

In another incident, an alleged robber wanted in 10 cases of robbery was shot dead in an encounter with police near Sahjowal village.

Police said three gunmen riding two motorcycles opened indiscriminate fire at them at a picket near village Sahjowal. Either side exchanged fire once again on Chunian-Kasur Road.

After a brief encounter, when the guns fell silent, police found the gunman, known as Aflatoon, with bullet injuries at the scene. Police rushed him to the Pattoki Tehsil Headquarters Hospital but he was retrieved dead at the hospital. Police said Aflatoon was killed by his own accomplices.

According to police, Aflatoon was wanted in 10 cases with Kasur police and had shot dead Sub-Inspector Naseer Ahmed of Faisalabad in Phoolnagar in 2015 during an encounter with police.

Police also found illegal weapons and a snatched motorcycle on him.

Police registered a murder case against the fleeing robbers.

THEFTS: A domestic help with her accomplices deprived a trader of his cash, gold ornaments and other valuables worth about Rs2.5 million on Wednesday at Pakeeza Colony. A-Division police registered a case.

Raza said he had 40 tolas of gold ornaments, a diamond ring, Rs200,000 and other valuables stolen from his house. Also, three gunmen robbers took away Rs90,000 and two cell phones from Liaqat Ali and Shahadat Ali near village Jhalar in Pattoki.

Police are looking into the matter.

Published in Dawn, March 16th, 2017