DERA GHAZI KHAN:
Two police encounters were reported in the Dera Ghazi Khan area on Sunday. The first incident took place between suspected members of the Ladi gang and police in Basti Laghur.
Elite Force officer Shehryar Baig was martyred in the gun battle, while four suspects were also killed. Another police encounter was reported in the Kot Chhata area, where a suspected robber was arrested in an injured condition.
Regional Police Officer (RPO) Capt Retd Sajjad Hasan Khan, along with DPO Ahmad Mohiuddin and District Officer CTD Javed Khan, informed the media about the police encounter between the Ladi gang and the Punjab Police near Basti Darwish Lashari.
He said that police received information that four suspected robbers had arrived in the area.
When police arrived on the scene, the suspects immediately opened fire. Elite Force officer Shahryar Baig was martyred while fighting against the suspects, while four suspects identified as Sajji Barga, Irfan Murreri, Kashi Rind and Zafar Mamdani were killed when the police returned fire.
The RPO added that District Police Officer (DPO) Ahmed Mohiuddin himself reached the scene and led the operation. Police shifted the bodies of the martyred officer and four suspects to the teaching hospital for post-mortem.
Read: 10 cops martyred in brazen DI Khan attack
As of the most recent reports, the police search operation remains ongoing in the area.
Regarding the second police encounter, SHO Kot Chhata Ali Imran said that during a patrol, police tried to stop suspicious armed motorcyclists.
The accused opened fire on police while trying to escape, while police chased the suspects and returned fire.
The police continued to chase the suspects, one of was injured and thrown to the ground near Haider Qureshi bridge.
The injured suspect was identified as Muhammad Zain Changwani, a resident of Aliwala.
The injured suspect has been shifted to the hospital, while the police search operation is ongoing to arrest the other absconding accused.
SHO Kot Chhata Ali Imran further said that eight cases of robbery and other charges were registered against Muhammad Zain. Kot Chhata Police station has started further legal action.
Published in The Express Tribune, February 12th, 2024.
