TOBA TEK SINGH: Aug 10: Police on Friday morning killed four robbers in an encounter, who had shot dead a passenger and injured two others when the motorcycle-rickshaw they were travelling in did not stop on their signal on Thursday night.

Reports said that eight robbers, who had set up a picket on Pirmahal-Shorkot Road near Chak 332-GB (Jakhra), were looting passers-by. The outlaws also tried to intercept the motorcycle-rickshaw, but the driver pushed up the speed instead. At this, the robbers opened fire, killing passenger Zahid Zulfiqar (16) instantly and injuring seriously two others, Bashir and Rehman alias Mannha.

On receiving information, the police of Chuttiana, Pirmahal and Rajana reached the spot and encircled the area. On Friday morning, the police chasing the outlaws exchanged fire for two hours with the outlaws near Chak 310-GB in Chuttiana. As a result, four robbers were killed while three others laid down their arms. Their one accomplice, however, beat a retreat. The identity of the dead robbers was yet to be ascertained.

The DPO told reporters that police also recovered two rifles, a repeater, a revolver and cartridges from the site of the encounter.

A source revealed that police were not disclosing the names of the deceased and arrested dacoits. He claimed that one of the arrested dacoits was involved in dozens of dacoity-cum-murder incidents and a kidnap for ransom case.