GUJRAT: A drug addict who allegedly gunned down five men, including his nephew, and injured another, at Arrtali Virkan village of Gujranwala on Tuesday, was later killed in an encounter with Tatley Ali police.

The area Station House Officer (SHO), Safdar Atta Bhatti, and an accomplice of the dead suspect were also injured in the encounter, the police say.

As per police sources, suspect Imran alias Sheru, who was hooked to ‘Ice’ drug, had an altercation with his nephew Usman Virk (28) a few days ago. They had quarreled when Imran opened fire on a vehicle loaded with melons, the sources say.

After the firing incident a few days ago, Imran had been arrested by the police, but was recently released on bail.

Police kill suspect in ‘encounter’

The sources say that Imran nurtured grudge and on Tuesday morning, he opened indiscriminate fire on Usman, his friends and guards, leaving five men dead on the spot.

The deceased included Usman, his friends Imran and Afzal, and their two security guards, Umar and Waqas. A youth, identified as Salman, sustained critical bullet injuries in the firing.

Imran fled the scene after the incident.

On being informed of the incident, the police and Rescue 1122 teams reached the spot and shifted the bodies to the hospital, where the condition of the injured youth was stated to be critical.

Gujranwala City Police Officer (CPO) Ayaz Saleem took notice of the incident and directed the Saddar SP and SSP investigation to arrest the suspect.

A spokesman for Gujranwala police said that police besieged the area and raided different locations to arrest the

suspect.

He said that during the search operation, the police came to know that Imran was hiding in the Tatley Aali Government High School.

He said the police besieged the school and when Imran attempted to escape, SHO Safdar Bhatti tried to overpower him. However, the suspect opened fire on police, leaving the SHO injured.

The police party returned the fire, killing Imran on the spot and leaving his armed accomplice, identified as Faqeer Muhammad, injured. The injured SHO and the suspect were shifted to the hospital.

The CPO said that Imran was an addict and that there was no enmity or rivalry between the five victims and the suspect.

He said further investigation was underway, adding that no one would be allowed to take law in their own hands.

Tatley Aali police have registered a case against four suspects, nominating two of them, under sections 302, 324 and 34 of the Pakistan Penal Code on the complaint of Sardar Zahid Sarfraz, the brother of deceased Usman, and started investigation.

Published in Dawn, May 7th, 2025