RAWALPINDI: The suspected killer of two police officials in Rawalpindi was wanted to police in his native town of Sialkot in connection with three murder and a robbery cases.

Besides, he was an active member of a criminal gang identified as ‘Yasir Tana’, which has allegedly been funding a banned organisation. Two police officials were martyred and four others were injured in a shootout at Rawalpindi Saddar on Tuesday. The Dolphin Force shot dead one of the two suspects involved in the shootout with the police while the other escaped.

According to sources close to the investigation, four members of the gang were killed in Sialkot in Dec 2019 and another in 2017.

The sources said one of the relatives of the suspected shooter was associated with Islamabad police who was expected to be grilled by the investigating team.

Besides questioning several people, the police are also investigating close relatives of the alleged shooter. However, none of them has been charged. CCTV footage showed the suspect walking on Adam Jee Road and heading towards the police patrol at the corner of the road before the incident. But the investigators were unable to establish what happened at the last moment.

Police have also recorded the statement of constable Mohsin Mehmood, who was on duty along with Mohammad Waqas, Mohammad Ali and Saeed Akhterat the time of the shootout.

The police said the suspected shooter had got training in Afghanistan before becoming a member of the criminal gang. Geo-fencing of the area where the shootout took place is also being conducted.

“Our priority is to find the handler or facilitator of the suspected shooter, if there was any. After that the police would be able to ascertain the motive behind the attack,” a senior police official said.

The police are also trying to find a clue to other members of the gang.

The sources said some of the relatives, including father of the shooter, live in Sohan, Islamabad.

Published in Dawn, January 11th, 2020