MULTAN, June 3: Relatives of the alleged ring leader of a dacoits gang killed along with his two accomplices in an ‘encounter’ on Sunday have contradicted the police story.

Malik Javed, brother of alleged ring leader Raja Riaz, told newsmen that Multan police had contacted them some two weeks ago for the arrest of Riaz claiming that he was wanted for interrogation in a dacoity case.

He said his family assured the police that Riaz would soon give himself up. Honouring their promise, he said Riaz’s brother-in-law Sattar Niazi handed him over to police some 10 days ago. He said their mother and deceased’s wife had also accompanied them from Lahore to Multan to court Riaz’s arrest. “My mother however was apprehensive that police would kill Riaz in a shootout,” he added.

When contacted, Multan SSP Ahmed Raza Tahir was not available to comment on the version of Riaz’s family. Riaz was a former police constable.

Riaz and his accomplices Salahuddin and Tariq were shot dead in what police claimed an encounter on the early hours of Sunday in Hajipura locality. Salahuddin and Tariq were in police custody.

Police said the arrested accused had taken the police to the hideout of Riaz. Seeing police, Riaz opened fire on them but the bullets ‘incidentally’ killed his own accomplices. Riaz was later killed when police returned the fire.