VEHARI, April 23: Four 'dacoits' were killed by police at Mujahid Colony in Burewala early Friday morning. A constable was injured. Three of the deceased were family members. Led by Ali Raza, the gang included his father Zahoor, mother Tanveer Bibi and brothers Hasan Raza, Chan Pir and Afnan Shah, the police claimed.

A Toba-Burewala police party had raided their hideout on a tipoff. The ensuing crossfire left Ali, Zahoor and Hasan of 715/GB Kamalia and Mulazim alias Mulazi of Khanewal dead and Chan Pir, Afnan and Tanveer Bibi injured. The injured were taken into custody.

Elite Force Constable Fazal Raheem also sustained injuries and was admitted to the Burewala THQ hospital. Our Toba Tek Singh Correspondent adds: Faisalabad DIG Rana Abid Saeed and Toba DPO Saad Akhtar Bharwana told a press conference here on Friday afternoon that Ali Raza and his family had shifted residence from the Kamalia forest to a rented house in Burewala after killing Constable Zafar Iqbal and injuring Sub-Inspector Muhammad Arshad near the forest a few days ago.

The DIG and the DPO further claimed that police had recovered two hand grenades and illicit arms from the house. According to police, Ali Raza left a small tyre business in 1999 to join the underworld.

He and his accomplices allegedly killed many people including Sardar Nasir Khan Gadhi, son of former PPP MPA Sardar Ghulam Abbas Gadhi, looted hundreds of houses and also kidnapped people for ransom. More than 50 cases were registered against the gang at various police stations.

The DIG announced a cash prize of Rs10,000 and promotion for every policeman involved in the encounter. District Nazim Chaudhry Muhammad Ashfaq, present at the press conference, also announced prizes for the policemen.