ISLAMABAD: A man was killed and two police officials injured in crossfire between police personnel and a group of villagers wanted in connection with an attempted murder, police said on Tuesday.

The deceased has been identified as the father-in-law of one of the suspects in the case, they said, while the injured officials have been identified as Sub-Inspector Mohammad Arshad and Assistant Sub-Inspector Mohammad Ilyas.

The incident took place in Tumair village in the limits of the Nilor police. The police raided a house to arrest villagers wanted in connection with a case registered with the Nilor police on charges of attempted murder two days ago.

A police officer told Dawn that the police had noticed a few incidents of firing at homes and villagers in the last few days. One person registered a case with the police on Feb 3, alleging that a group attached his home and opened fire at in with the intention of killing him.

After the complainant, Mohammad Bashir, registered the case the police learned on Monday night that there had been a couple of episodes of firing in the village. In response, a seven-member police team visited the area and encountered firing from a house.

The officer said that the police knocked on the door of the house and a man answered, after which firing began from inside the house all of a sudden, injuring the two police officials and the man who answered the door.

The police retaliated, but the shooters escaped, the officer said. He added that the injured were taken to hospital.

The man who answered the door was identified as Mohammad Riaz, the home owner and father-in-law of one of the suspects, he said. He died at the hospital.

Mr Ilyas was shot in his abdomen. He underwent surgery and remains in hospital under observation because he is in critical condition. Mr Arshad was shot in the hand and is in stable condition, he added.

A case has been registered regarding the incident under the Anti-Terrorism Act and the Pakistan Penal Code.

The FIR said firing began from inside the house after the shooters saw the police, injuring Riaz and Mr Ilyas and Mr Arshaf. The police retaliated but the shooters escaped, it said.

Published in Dawn, February 5th, 2020