FAISALABAD, Dec 27: Police claim to kill three alleged hardened criminals in a shootout on Saturday on Sattiana Road.

Haji Akhtar, alias Farishta, of Rahim Yar Khan; Rana Qamar, of Kukran Chak, Faisalabad, and Imran, of Shahkot, went to brick kiln owner Attaullah in Chak 232-RB a couple of days ago and extorted Rs400,000 protection money at gunpoint. They asked the kiln owner to arrange Rs2.6 million.

Mr Atta informed police about the incident. Police said after registering a case, officials alerted the force to arrest the criminals.

Criminals again approached the brick kiln owner on Saturday who informed Emergency 15 service about the arrival of criminals.

Police said officials dispatched a heavy contingent of police to Chak 232-RB. Seeing the police, the criminals opened fire and took a cover in nearby fields. Police also returned fire killing the three criminals on the spot.

Police seized six hand-grenades, three Kalashnikovs, a wireless set, a blue revolving light and hundreds of live rounds. The gangsters were involved in different cases of heinous crimes.

This is the sixth encounter in two months in which police followed the zero-tolerance policy introduced by Faisalabad CPO Ahmed Raza Tahir. Police have killed 15 people and only two or three of them had head money.