KARACHI: Two alleged bandit brothers were killed and a third one was arrested with a bullet wound as their robbery attempt in a home in Rizvia Society turned into a deadly gun battle with police that also left a police constable wounded on Tuesday morning, officials said.

They added that three armed bandits on a motorbike pulled up outside a 120-yard home in Peetal Gali in Gulbahar at around 7.30am. Two of them stormed the home as one stayed outside apparently to keep an eye on the area.

“But a neighbour of the particular home after witnessing some suspicious movement called police helpline Madadgar 15,” said an official at the Rizvia Society police station. “The Madadgar 15 after confirming the location passed the message to our police station. A police party then on two mobiles rushed to the spot. They found a suspicious man outside the house. After seeing the danger, he fired shots at the police and ran into the home.”

The personnel of the law-enforcement agency cordoned off the area, the officer said and added that the armed men inside the home attacked the police force when they were busy taking positions which left police Constable Khalid Afzal wounded.

“The attack led to retaliation from our side, which triggered exchange of gunfire. The firing left all three suspects wounded, who along with the police constable were taken to the Abbasi Shaheed Hospital, where two bandits died of wounds,” said the official.

“The deceased are identified as Tauseef and Asif while Raghib is admitted for surgery. He’s out of danger now.”

SSP Central Arif Aslam later confirmed that all three bandits were brothers with a history of criminal activities.

All three had been arrested in the past and had spent time in jail. The police had also recovered three pistols and valuables from their possession, added the SSP Central.

Published in Dawn, October 23rd, 2019