KARACHI, Aug 30: Four suspects were killed and three pedestrians were injured in an encounter between the alleged bandits and the police in Gulshan-i-Iqbal on Wednesday. No policeman was, however, hurt in the encounter.

Till Wednesday evening, only one of the four bandits could be identified.

Police said four suspects barged into a house in Block 9, Gulshan-i-Iqbal at 11am.

After taking the family of Javed Lodhi hostage at gunpoint, they collected cash and jewelry, TPO Saqib Ismail said.

“An elder woman was speaking to some relatives on phone when the bandits barged into the house. The abrupt disconnection of the phone prompted the relatives to call police helpline “15”, TPO Gulshan said.

As the police received information, police from 15 and Aziz Bhatti police station rushed to the house. The suspects were fleeing when the police reached the spot.

Seeing the police, the armed men resorted to firing outside the house which resulted in injuries to three pedestrians and damage to several vehicles parked in the vicinity, SP Ismail said.

The four bandits were gunned down in the retaliatory firing by the police, the officer added.

A young girl who was passing through the area suffered injuries caused by broken glass, while two other pedestrians, Amanullah, Shaukat Ali and Ghulam Akhtar, suffered gun-shot injuries.

They were taken to a nearby private hospital for treatment.

The police also recovered four TT pistols, a 9mm pistol and other valuables looted from the house, from their possession.

Hearing the gunfire, a large number of people gathered there to witness the shootout.

All the four bandits apparently belonged to Karachi; one of them was identified as Ismail. He was identified from his identity card which showed his permanent residence in Gulshan-i-Iqbal, police added.

SHO Aziz Bhatti said the same bandits had committed a dacoity at the house of Abdul Samad in Block 10-A, Gulshan-i-Iqbal.

“Mr Samad identified the suspects after seeing their bodies at the police station”, the SHO said.

The same gang was involved in a robbery committed in Gulshan-i-Jamal, the SHO said, adding they used to commit holdups before 12 noon.

Similarly, some complainant from Shah Faisal Colony also identified the suspects, TPO said.