KARACHI, Oct 20: A policeman lost his right hand in an encounter with bandits leading to the arrest of four outlaws in the Rohail Khand Society in Ferozabad police limits on Wednesday.

Four bandits barged into House No 63 in the Rohail Khand Society and held the inmates hostage at gunpoint. As they were collecting valuables and jewellry from the house someone among the inmates called police at 15.

Police rushed to the spot and asked the bandits to surrender. However, the armed suspects opened fire at police and injured ASI Hamid Ali. In exchange of fire, police managed to arrest all the four bandits and recovered cash and valuables from their possession.

The injured policeman was taken to the JPMC for treatment.

ASP Ferozabad Shahzad told Dawn that ASI Hamid Ali showed extraordinary courage by challenging the bandits and sacrificing his right hand. Rest of the police party arrested the suspects."

The wounded policeman was rushed to the Liaquat National Hospital for treatment, where doctors said that the victim had suffered two bullet wounds in his right wrist. Hospital sources said that the victim might lose his hand as result of the wounds.

In another incident in the same locality, police arrested a suspect and recovered valuables and a snatched car from his possession.

ASP Ferozabad told Dawn that two suspects had snatched a car from Baloch Colony Bridge from Mr Noman. They brought the car to the Rohail Khand Society where it stopped due to some electronic device.

Abandoning the car there, the suspects barged into a nearby house where they faced stiff resistance. As the suspects were making their escape, a police party reached the spot and opened fire at them wounding one of the suspects later identified as Habibur Rehman. However, other suspects escaped.

Police recovered valuables and weapons from his possession. The suspect, who had suffered a bullet wound in his abdomen, was shifted to a hospital in serious condition.