LAHORE: Four suspects allegedly involved in the murder of as many men were killed in two ‘encounters’ with Khanewal police over the last three days.

According to Khanewal police, two suspects identified as Tahir Shah and Usman Arain were killed in the first encounter on Saturday night during a raid at Mouza Thatha Bahadar Shah Dera by a Kacha Kho police team seeking to arrest proclaimed offender Ilyas Jutt.

Police claimed that the suspects opened fire on the raiding party and they retaliated in self-defence. After the exchange of fire, Tahir Shah and Usman Arain were found dead. Police alleged they were hit by bullets fired by their own accomplices.

In the second encounter on Sunday, Mian Channu Police signalled a suspicious car at a checkpoint and it did not stop. The police also alerted a nearby police unit who set up checkpoints to intercept the vehicle near Chak 21/10-R.

According to police, the four occupants of the car opened indiscriminate fire on the police party. Officers retaliated and during the exchange two suspects Faisal Mehdi Shah, a resident of Chak 30/10-R and Azhar Ali of Pirowal were allegedly killed in firing by their own accomplices. The remaining two suspects escaped under the cover of darkness.

Police said Faisal Mehdi Shah and Azhar Ali were proclaimed offenders with previous criminal records and were wanted in multiple cases, including murder and attempted murder. Special teams had been formed to arrest the absconding suspects, and search operations were continuing.

The four deceased suspects were allegedly involved in the June 15 attack near Niazi Chowk in Khanewal city, in which Zakaullah, Ismail Khan, Majeed and Hidayatullah Khan, all residents of Chak 30/10-R, Kacha Kho, were shot dead while travelling by a car to attend a court hearing.

Khanewal District Police Officer (DPO) Muhammad Abid said the four victims had been killed brutally and each of them sustained 21 bullet wounds.

He said the investigation identified Faisal Mehdi as the principal suspect in the case.

The DPO said Faisal had a criminal record in 11 murder cases and carried a head money reward for his arrest.

He said police acted on intelligence about the suspects’ whereabouts and conducted raids to apprehend them.

Two suspects were killed in the first encounter on Saturday and two more in the second encounter on Sunday, while efforts were continuing to arrest the remaining absconders.

He said the police team had played a key role in solving the quadruple murder case.

Published in Dawn, July 14th, 2026