RAWALPINDI: A suspected robber was killed and his accomplice injured and caught during an encounter with police in Sadiqabad on Monday night.

Police said raids were underway to arrest an accomplice of the robbers who escaped during the shootout.

Hamid Abid, a resident of Muslim Town, told the police that hardly had he parked his car in the garage and stepped out when he was taken at gunpoint by three robbers.

The robbers forced their entry inside the house and held the family hostage.

Mr Abid managed to send a text message to his brother and informed him that robbers had entered his house.

In response, his brother alerted the emergency police. The robbers grabbed gold jewellery and cash and were searching for other valuables when the Dolphin Force arrived.

Soon afterwards, a team from the Sadiqabad police station led by SHO Tahir Rehan also reached the house.

Seeing the police, the armed men opened fire on them which led to the encounter, said the police.When contacted, SHO Rehan told Dawn that soon after the police received an emergency call the Dolphin Force and police reached the scene.

During the encounter, one of the robbers, later identified as Adeeb Razzaq, who had been on a police wanted list, was killed while his accomplice Mohammad Sajid was injured and caught.

He said the injured had been released from jail one month ago and was wanted by Islamabad police in a murder/robbery case.

The SHO said raids were underway to arrest the accomplice of the robbers who escaped.

City Police Officer Mohammad Ahsan Younas and SP Rawal Division Mazhar Iqbal also reached the spot and met the family who was targeted by the robbers.

The police said the jewellery and cash looted by robbers were recovered.

City Police Offer Mohammad Ahsan Younas awarded the Dolphin Force squad, SHO Sadiqabad and other police officials cash prizes and appreciation certificates on Tuesday.

Published in Dawn, February 12th, 2020