TAXILA: In back-to-back “shootouts” by Attock Police, two more suspects who were in police custody for their alleged involvement in Friday’s four different robbery and snatching cases were killed during a “shootout” with police in the early hours of Saturday, police sources claimed.

Again, this time, the police spokesperson claimed that the suspect was killed by his own accomplices during an exchange of fire. According to the spokesperson, police were bringing in for recovery an accused named Ehsan Ullah and Bilal Khan, who were arrested for their involvement in four different robberies and snatching cases on Friday, their companions riding on motorcycles attacked the police party to get their accomplice released from police custody. In retaliation, both suspects were injured by the firing of their accomplices and died on the way to hospital.

The police teams were formed to arrest the fleeing attackers. “The police officials came under fire, but remained unhurt due to precautionary measures,” the police claimed, adding that the official vehicles also remained safe during the shootout.

In another “shootout”, a notorious drug peddler with a long history of narcotics selling cases was arrested in injured condition after a brief shootout with police on Bafuad Road in the limits of Hassanabdal Police station, the spokesman of Attock police said.

The police spokesperson claimed that the suspect was injured by his own accomplices during an exchange of fire. Soon after the incident, senior police officers also reached the spot. The injured suspect was shifted to a hospital for medical treatment, and circumstantial evidence was collected from the crime scene.

A case was registered on behalf of the state. The police spokesman said that local police were on routine checking Bafuad road when they signalled to stop two suspicious persons riding on a motorcycle, but they opened fire at police party and fled away. After a brief chase, a police team intercepted them, and again, an exchange of fire was carried out.

Police spokesman said that when the firing halted, the police party found a suspect in injured condition who received bullet injuries due to the firing of his own accompanies.

The suspect was identified as Waqas alias Koda, a native of Dhoke Miskeen, who was a history sheeter in narcotics selling cases. He informed police that he was injured by a bullet from his companion, Ghulam Nabi. “The search for the escaped criminal was underway as different teams were constituted to trace them,” the spokesman added.

Published in Dawn, April 27th, 2025