SANGHAR, Oct 3: A bandit was killed and another arrested after an hours-long encounter near Perumal on the eve of Eid, police said.

The slain dacoit Saleem Shaikh was involved in several incidents of murder, dacoity and kidnapping for ransom in Umerkot, Karachi, Sukkur, Tando Allahyar, Mirpurkhas and other districts of Sindh, police said.

According to police, five dacoits had blocked Khipro-Perumal road near Din Mohammad Sangrasi village and were looting commuters. On receiving information, a police party reached the spot.

The dacoits took shelter in a sugarcane field and engaged police in an encounter which lasted for several hours. Villagers also helped the police. As a result, Shaikh was killed and Nawab Ghanghro alias Akbar was arrested but the remaining three bandits fled by taking advantage of darkness. Police recovered a Kalashnikov, a TT pistol and bullets from the possession of slain bandits.