SAHIWAL, Sept 1: Dera Rahim police claimed to have arrested four members of an inter-district gang of dacoits following a brief encounter.

DPO Tariq Saleem told reporters that the Rana Abbas gang had been carrying out heinous crimes in Lodhran, Okara, Bahawalnagar, Multan, Pakpattan and Sahiwal districts for the last one year.

He said a police team, comprising SP (investigation) Ahmed Nawaz Cheema, Saddar ASP Junaid Ahmed, and Dera SHO Tariq Salar, was constituted to arrest the gangsters.

The DPO said that on Aug 30, the Dera SHO got information that culprits had picketed on Arifwala-Sahiwal Road near Chak 104/9-L to loot passersby. The police raided the place and four culprits were arrested after about half an hour of shootout. The arrested criminals were identified as Muhammad Abbas, Muhammad Madni, Hanif and Naeem while their accomplice Bilal managed to escape.

Police also recovered a car, six motorcycles, four TV sets, four tolas of gold, three 30-bore pistols, one 7MM rifle and cartridges from them.

The DPO said gangsters had snatched a car in Renala Khurd bypass and motorcycles in Harrapa, Lodhran and Arifwala city at gun point.

He said criminals, who were presented before the mediaperson, were wanted by Dera Rahim police in four dacoity cases.