LAHORE/SARGODHA: The Crime Control Department (CCD) claimed on Tuesday that four suspected robbers were killed and three others injured in five separate encounters in Multan and Sargodha districts.

A CCD Muzaffarabad circle team was patrolling near Sher Shah bridge and signalled four motorcyclists to stop. The motorcyclists allegedly opened fire at the team and they retaliated.

CCD claimed that when the firing stopped, two suspected robbers Awais and Hanif were found dead by the ‘firing of their accomplices’. Two other suspects jumped into the canal and fled, the police said. Police said that two pistols and two motorcycles were recovered from the spot.

The suspects were record holders and involved in several robbery and robbery-cum-murder cases.

In another incident, CCD Shujabad circle team was patrolling in chak MR-17 when they signalled three motorcyclists to stop. The suspects allegedly opened fire at them and the team retaliated.

The police claimed that suspect Nadeem was found dead by the firing of his accomplices, who had fled the scene.

Police shifted the bodies to morgue and started investigation to arrest the absconding suspects.

In another similar incident, a CCD Jalapur Pirwala team had setup a check point at Mahi Wala bridge in Mouza Alipur Sadaat and signalled four motorcyclists to stop. Police claimed the motorcyclists opened fire at the team.

After the police team retaliated, two suspects Shakir and Sultan were found injured and two others fled the scene. The police shifted the injured to the hospital where they were said to be stable.

The team also recovered one pistol and a motorcycle from them. Police said the suspects were proclaimed offenders in several robbery and dacoity cases.

In Sargodha, suspect Usman Rafiq Gul, involved in dozens of cases of dacoity, was killed in an alleged encounter with the CCD near Sial Sharif area of Tarkhanwala town.

His body was shifted to hospital for postmortem.

In another encounter with the CCD Bhalwal circle, suspect Arsalan, involved in 12 cases of theft and robbery, was arrested when he was injured by the firing of his accomplices.

Published in Dawn, July 9th, 2025