LAHORE, Nov 23: A policeman and an alleged car jacker were killed in two "encounters" in Factory Area and Burki on Tuesday. Police said a patrol intercepted a car on Walton Road. On checking, they found that it had been snatched three days ago.

Four occupants of the car, including a serving Elite Force personnel, were taken into custody. The patrol officials were bundling them in a wagon when the elite policeman snatched a gun of one of them and opened fire.

Three constables sustained injuries. The four suspects snatched another car from the place and drove away with it. One of the wounded policemen, Khadim Husain, 40, died on way to hospital, while the others were admitted with critical injuries.

A wireless message was radioed and the police started a chase. They found the four in Burki. A fire was exchanged, claimed the police, and added as a result of which one of the suspects was killed and the other three escaped.

Nothing has been found to establish the identity of the killed car-jacker. The body was sent to the city mortuary for autopsy. Meanwhile, funeral prayers for Constable Khadim were offered at the Police Lines. City police chief DIG Tariq Salim announced Rs400,000 as compensation for the bereaved family.