MULTAN, May 2: Three under-trial prisoners, their accomplice and a police constable were killed in what authorities claimed a shootout in Alipur area of Muzaffargarh district on Tuesday. The police said someone fired at the staff escorting the under-trial hardened criminals, Nazim Bosan and Mushtaq Baloch, near the judicial lock-up of Alipur tehsil courts. The alleged culprits were brought to appear before court from the Muzaffargarh jail.

Constable Abdul Rasheed and another under-trial prisoner, Shahid, were shot dead. Handcuffed Nazim and Mushtaq, in the meantime, managed to flee. The district police authorities dispatched reinforcement to the troubled area.

Muzaffargarh District Police Officer Rai Tahir said led by a piece of information that Mushtaq had taken shelter at an under-construction house in the vicinity, the police asked him to surrender and after a shootout found him lying dead.

Nazim was also spotted later while riding on a motorbike in Aliwala Jungle. The DPO claimed that Nazim Bosan and his accomplice were also fired at when they refused to surrender. Both died in the crossfire. The other person was identified as Amjad Ali.

The DPO said Nazim and Mushtaq were under trial for charges of murder, dacoity and kidnap for ransom.

A passerby, Malik Faiz, also suffered injuries in the shootout. His condition, however, was stated to be stable.