LAHORE, Jan 6: Kot Lakhpat police killed an alleged motorcycle thief in an 'encounter' early on Friday morning and recovered two stolen motorbikes from his house.

The police claimed the killed man, later identified as Manzoor Ahmad, was wanted in criminal cases registered against him in Faisalabad district.

A constable sustained a bullet injury during the shootout and was shifted to Lahore General Hospital, where his condition was said to be stable.

Ahmad was a resident of Mamo Kanjan, Faisalabad, and presently living in a rented house in Sofia Abad of Nishtar Colony, where the encounter took place.

According to a statement released by the police on Friday, Kot Lakhpat police traced a tracker-fixed motorbike and reached Ahmad's house in Sofia Abad. The bike was stolen from the parking lot of General Hospital.

As the police knocked at the door of his house, Ahmad allegedly opened fire and injured constable Zulfiqar Ali. On this, more policemen were called in and they encircled the house after Ahmad refused to surrender.

The DIG (operations), Model Town Division SP (operations) and other senior police officers reached the crime scene after the encounter.

The police said Ahmad was found dead inside his house after the crossfire, which lasted for an hour. The police later took into custody Ahmad's wife and two children and found two stolen motorbikes.

A source said it was a staged encounter because early hours or late night timings were suitable for the police for such 'encounters' to get rid of hardened criminals.

DIG Ghulam Mahmood Dogar announced a cash prize of Rs100,000 for the police team, which killed Ahmad.

Burnt: A couple suffered multiple burns when a fire erupted in shanties in Shadman on Friday.

According to the Rescue-1122 officials, the fire erupted when Akram's family was cooking meal in their shanties. The fire engulfed three other shanties and reduced them to ashes. The fire-fighters controlled the blaze. Akram and his wife suffered burns and were shifted to a hospital.

Meanwhile, a girl succumbed to burns after her clothes caught fire while cooking meal at her residence in Shahdara.

Nazia, daughter of Muhammad Munawar, of Farrukh Abad, was shifted to a local hospital where doctors pronounced her dead.

Opinion

Editorial

More pledges
25 May, 2024

More pledges

THE administration’s campaign to bring Gulf investment to Pakistan continues apace, with the prime minister...
Pemra overreach
25 May, 2024

Pemra overreach

IT seems, at best, a misguided measure and, at worst, an attempt to abuse regulatory power to silence the media. A...
Enduring threat
25 May, 2024

Enduring threat

THE death this week of journalist Nasrullah Gadani, who succumbed to injuries after being attacked by gunmen, is yet...
IMF’s unease
Updated 24 May, 2024

IMF’s unease

It is clear that the next phase of economic stabilisation will be very tough for most of the population.
Belated recognition
24 May, 2024

Belated recognition

WITH Wednesday’s announcement by three European states that they intend to recognise Palestine as a state later...
App for GBV survivors
24 May, 2024

App for GBV survivors

GENDER-based violence is caught between two worlds: one sees it as a crime, the other as ‘convention’. The ...