SIALKOT, Feb 14: Five proclaimed offenders were killed during a one-hour long encounter with police near Daska on Monday morning. A gang of eight POs was looting the passers by setting up a picket on main Daska-Pasrur Road near Kalla Morr Sem Nullah Puli.

On a tip-off, the Daska Sadar police team hastened to the spot. Seeing the police, the armed outlaws opened fire on them which was returned. But no one hurt in the firing.

Engaging the outlaws in the shootout, the law enforcers called out more police contingents from Daska's police stations who besieged the outlaws. Later, the police shot dead five POs after a heavy exchange of fire while their three accomplices beat a retreat.

Talking to reporters, DPO Usama Mumtaz Raja said the deceased POs were identified as Faisal alias Cheeta, Asif alias Aasu Maachi, Walayat alias Walayatu, Kashif alias Kashi and Ilyas Mochi.

The DPO said they were wanted by Sialkot, Daska, Wazirabad, Gujrat, Mandi Bahauddin, Hafizabad, Gujranwala and Narowal police in over 100 cases of murder, kidnap for ransom, dacoity, robbery and other heinous crimes.

He said that they had also killed constable Muhammad Arshad and injured three others during an encounter near Begowala-Daska. In addition, he said they had recently killed three people in Sambrial over an old enmity.

Meanwhile, their bodies were shifted to the local THQ Hospital for autopsy. Police also recovered from them a big quantity of arms. Sadar police have registered a case and are investigating.