TOBA TEK SINGH, Dec 11: A constable and a dacoit were killed in an encounter in Punjab’s second biggest forest in Toba area on Monday evening.

A policeman claimed that an Elite Force team, led by inspector Saeed Akhtar, was on patrol duty around the forest when a gang of dacoits suddenly appeared on the scene and started firing on law enforcers, killing constable Haq Nawaz instantly. A dacoit was also killed when the police returned the fire.

Later, the dacoits vanished in the thick forest. While heavy police contingents were called out from district’s all police stations. Hundreds of policemen besieged the forest while more reinforcement was summoned from Khanewal and Mian Channu.

Till the filing of this report, the encounter was continuing near Chak 725-GB where police injured another outlaw. However, his accomplices managed to take him away with them.

A source claimed that proclaimed offender Mazhar Chaniana headed gangsters.

It may be mentioned that several policemen and dacoits had been killed in scores of encounters in the last few years.

Last year, armoured vehicles were used to combat the gangs of dacoits and the police claimed that the forest had completely been cleared of criminals. — Correspondent