MUZAFFARABAD, March 1: A police constable was shot dead in the southern Mirpur district of Azad Jammu and Kashmir on Friday by one of the two outlaws whose vehicle he had stopped for checking, police said.

When police constable Yamin Sikandar intercepted the suspicious vehicle near the Mangla check post and questioned its two occupants, they told him that they themselves belonged to “some law-enforcing agency.”

Mirpur superintendent of police Raja Munawwar told Dawn by telephone that one of the accused, sitting next to driver’s seat, had been in possession of an AK 47 assault rifle, two hand grenades and some other ammunition.

Suspecting that the car occupants might be criminals, the constable said he would search the vehcile. but one of the outlaws came out of the vehicle and fired a burst upon him and wounded him seriously.

However, the constable, who received six bullets in the chest, did not lose courage and scuffled with the assailant.

In the mean time, another constable, Abdur Rehman, opened fire and overpowered the assailant, who also received injuries. His accomplice sped away.

The injured constable died on way to the district headquarters hospital, Mirpur.

The injured outlaw was admitted to the DHQ Hospital under strict police guard. He was identified as Raja Zahoor Ahmed, son of Tufail, resident of Nowsehra Warkan (Gujranwala).