FAISALABAD, May 15: A gang of six dacoits baffled police on Thursday when they first looted over Rs5.7 million from a bank and then escaped after injuring two police constables who dared to challenge them.

Reports said the armed dacoits entered United Bank’s Islamia College branch on Sargodha Road at about 1.30pm and held the staff hostage after overpowering the security guards. They also subjected the guards to torture and snatched their weapons.

The outlaws then collected cash from the cashier and the bank lockers, locked up the staff in a room and fled away by a white Cultus car.

Soon after the incident, the bank staff informed Civil Lines police. An alert call was radioed and the area was cordoned off to net the criminals.

According to police sources, two constables – Zahid and Zafar Iqbal –who were on a routine patrol, spotted a car of the same make as was being used by the outlaws and signaled it to stop.

The outlaws reportedly opened indiscriminate fire and managed their escape as the cops fell from their bike after sustaining bullet wounds.

Rescue 1122 shifted the injured constables to the Allied hospital.

The search was on but there was no clue to the outlaws till filing of the report.