KOHAT, April 29: Three constables were killed and an inspector was injured in an encounter with a gang of car thieves in Somari area on Tuesday afternoon.

The gang had hijacked a car from the city taxi-stand after which police sealed all exit routes in the district.

A police party intercepted the stolen car near Somari and signalled the gangsters to stop, but they opened fire, killing constables Sartaj, Ghufran and Shah Nol and seriously injuring SHO Zafrullah Khan.

Another police team tried to corner the gang from the Hangu side but the armed men escaped.

Senior police officials reached the area of the encounter and shifted bodies of the constables and the injured inspector to the KDA divisional headquarters hospital.

Police teams from Kohat and Hangu were reported to be raiding various areas in search of the gangsters.