SANGHAR, April 26: The police on Saturday shot dead Illahoo Khoso, an alleged notorious bandit, while arrested two of his accomplices after an encounter near Karo Phurdo in the jurisdiction of the Sinjhoro police station.

This was said by the district police officer, Dr Amir Ahmed Shaikh, while briefing journalists at the Sinjhoro police station, where the alleged bandit’s body had been put on public display. Hundreds of people had thronged there to see the dead body of the bandit.

The police accused Illahoo of being involved in more than 14 cases of murder, banditry, kidnapping for ransom, and police encounters. The police alleged that he was also involved in extorting money as “protection fee” from the local landlords.

The DPO said that the bandit had been killed in an encounter with one of more than half a dozen special anti-bandit groups, which had been formed to apprehend various gangs of bandits in the district. These teams, he added, included personnel from the commando units.

The police’s special group-III, the DPO said, was headed by ASI Mehmood Bhatti, which acted on information regarding the whereabouts of Ilahoo Khoso, who was reported to have reached the vicinity of Ali Hassan Rind village after having sent a ransom note.

At that time, he said, the bandit was accompanied by members of his gang, including Mumtaz Khoso, Majno Rind, Nawab Khoso, Dilsher Khoso and Haji Khoso.

The DPO said that on Saturday, the police party surrounded the village at about 11am and challenged the gang of bandits when they arrived there.

A half-hour-long gunbattle ensued after which three of the bandits managed to escape taking cover of the dense foliage while two of them surrendered to the police, he said.

Ilahoo Khoso was later found dead, the DPO said.

The police also searched one of the houses in the Ali Hassan Rind village which led to the recovery of a double-barrel gun, six magazines of submachine guns and 23 cartridges.

The dacoits, arrested after the encounter, were identified as Majno Rind and Nawab Khaskheli. Majno, he said, had also served with gangs of Janoo Rind and Sher Rind.