BAHAWALPUR: Four people, including three suspected outlaws, allegedly involved in the kidnap and torture of head constable Ghulam Raza in the jurisdiction of Burewala police station on Monday, sustained serious injuries in an ‘encounter’.

The fourth suspect was arrested by Sheikh Fazil police in Vehari district on Tuesday.

According to police spokesman Adnan Tariq, the suspects identified as Shehbaz, a resident of village 19-WB, Javed from Kasur, and Imran, along with police constable Mahar Belal, sustained serious injuries during the encounter related to Monday’s kidnapping case of head constable Ghulam Raza near Pul-100/EB.

They opened fire when police chased their vehicle, injuring constable Mahar Belal. The police returned fire, injuring three of the suspects. Along with their fourth accomplice, Afzal from village 23-WB, they were arrested.

Upon receiving information, Vehari DPO Easa Khan rushed to the scene and supervised the operation. He later visited the injured police constable and the arrested suspects at the hospital.

The spokesman said the three injured and the fourth arrested suspect were allegedly involved in 21 cases across various inter-district police stations, including Lodhran, Kasur Saddar, Machiwal, and Thingi police stations in Vehari district, as well as Arifwala, Burewala, Fateh Shah, Raiwind City, and Thikriwala in Faisalabad.

Published in Dawn, May 1st, 2024