SAHIWAL, Jan 12: District police killed three members of a kidnappers’ gang and recovered a boy in an encounter here on Saturday morning at College Chowk.

This was stated by newly-appointed DPO Muntazir Mehdi while talking to the media at his office.

The recovered boy, his father, police officials involved in the operation and PML-N MNA Pir Imran Shah were also present.

On Jan 8, Mehdi said, four men stopped Ikramul Haq, his wife and son Akif, 12, near water filtration plant, Scheme No 2, when they were on their way by a car. The suspects kidnapped Akif and took away Ikram’s cell phone. The suspects left a paper inscribed with words “contact us by sending SMS.”

On the complaint of Ikram, police registered a case 14/13 under section 365 of the PPC.

A police team headed by DSP Zafar Iqbal Dogar, SHOs Mahmoodul Hasan and Malik Amanat was formed.

The DPO said Ikram by taking police team on board talked to the suspects and gave them Rs1.5 million ransom at Okara bypass on Jan 11. The captors took away the amount. He said the police did not take action as the boy was not in their custody at that time. Later, the accused demanded Rs500,000 and the College Chowk was the point where the amount was to be delivered to them.

The DPO said five kidnappers arrived at 2:45am on Saturday early morning, took away the amount and handed over the boy to his father. He said the police stopped kidnappers’ car (FDA 2825) and killed three of them during a 30-minute encounter. ASI Amir Ishaq and Constable Waheed Akhter suffered injuries in the clash. Two suspects managed their escape. The deceased have been identified as Rashid, Shahid (brothers) and Azeem.

DPO Mehdi said the remaining two would be arrested soon. The gang was wanted by police in nine cases.

He said two months ago the same accused kidnapped a banker’s 10-year-old son and released him after taking Rs1 million ransom. Three months back, they killed Nazir Muhammad and critically injured his brother Abdur Razaq during a Rs500,000 dacoity near Jahaz ground.

The MNA appreciated DPO’s efforts in smashing criminal gangs.