LAHORE, April 9: Two alleged hardened criminals were killed in a ‘shootout’ with the Sheikhupura police near Khanqah Dogran on Monday.

Police said they had foiled a kidnap-for-ransom of a businessman of Khanqah Dogran by the suspects.

Sheikhupura District Police Officer Dr Haider Ashraf told Dawn that the suspects, ringleaders of a 23-member gang, were among the most wanted criminals in Punjab.

He said police received a tip-off that the gang had planned to abduct a businessman on Monday.

He said police, including Elite Police Force, picketed a road near Khanqah Dogran and hailed a vehicle to stop. The vehicle passengers opened fire at the police and escaped.

Policemen chased the suspects and called for reinforcements.

In Mianaali Dogran, both sides exchanged fire which ended in the death of two suspects and the arrest the one while six others fled.

The DPO said dead were identified as Kashif, alias Kashi, 30, of Salar Kay Bhattian, and Shahzad, 28, of Faisalabad. Their third accomplice Tanveer alias Peero was taken into custody. Police also seized illegal weapons on them.

He said Kashif and his accomplices were wanted in over 100 cases of murder, dacoity, extortion and kidnapping for ransom and Sheikhupura police had been after the suspects for the last few months.

He said Kashif was carrying head money worth Rs5 million, Shahzad Rs3 million and Tanveer Rs2 million.

shot dead: A woman and her daughter were shot dead and another daughter was injured by their close relative in their house in Halloki village early on Monday.

Kahna police said that suspect Makhdoom Husain along with his two accomplices entered the house of his late brother Umer Hayat and opened fire on his wife and two daughters. Consequently, Surraya Bibi (53) and her daughter Mafia (27), mother of three, died instantly while another daughter Irshad sustained injuries. The injured, who was shifted to a local hospital, told police her uncle had killed her mother and sister over a property dispute.

The deceased, Mafia, had been living along with her mother after quarreling with her husband.