RAWALPINDI: At least three alleged robbers were killed and two managed to escape on Thursday in the Morgah and Airport limits of the city, said the police.

In the jurisdiction of Morgah police, two suspects who were riding a motorcycle allegedly shot at the police team when they were “signalled to stop”, the police said, adding that one alleged robber was killed during the exchange of fire.

During the exchange of gunfire, one of the robbers was killed while his accomplice managed to escape. The deceased was identified as Shahid, who, the police claimed, was involved in several robberies and was a habitual offender.

In the area of the Airport police, a gang of alleged robbers attempted to shoot a pedestrian, who luckily escaped. Police claimed that two alleged robbers – identified as Aqeel and Watan Dost – were injured in the firing of their gang members, while the other two managed to escape from the scene.

Police claimed that one of the injured was detained from the spot while the other was captured after a brief chase. Both of them succumbed to their injuries on their way to the hospital.

According to the police, the robbers who opened fire at the airport and the hospital turned out to be members of the same gang involved in the Airport and Morgah incidents.

The police said the deceased were involved in dozens of robberies. According to the initial investigation, the two robbers who fired at the police in Morgah escaped after striking in the Airport area.

Police said the deceased suspects had shot dead Ahmed Afsar and injured patients during a robbery at a private hospital in the Airport locality three days ago.

The suspected robbers were also identified by the victims of the robbery, the police said. They also raided a beauty salon and escaped with the cash a few days ago.

Police claimed motorcycles used by the deceased ‘robbers’, weapons and mobile phones stolen from the hospital were also recovered. The suspects were involved in various incidents in the said areas for the past few days, the police said, adding that raids were being conducted to arrest other accomplices and facilitators of the gang.

Published in Dawn, August 11th, 2023