Eight dacoits killed in police encounters in Vehari, Arifwala

Eight dacoits were gunned down and one policeman received in injures during two police encounters in Vehari and Arifwala, reported 24NewsHD TV Channel on Monday.

The first police encounter took place in Vehari in which four notorious dacoits of Phakkiwas Gang who were involved in serious criminal cases, including murder, attempted murder, and snatching.

Crime Control Department (CCD) team said that after receiving credible information about presence of dacoits, a CCD team raided a location to apprehend them but after taking notice of the police party, the dacoits and their accomplices started indiscriminate firing on the CCD team.

In retaliation, the CCD also started firing. During heavy exchange of firing, four dacoits died in the firing of their accomplices.

The dead dacoits were involved in criminal activities in Vehari, district Bahawalnagar, district Pakpattan, and other areas.

CCD sources said that these dacoits were involved in the gruesome murder of a man in the jurisdiction of Sheikh Fazil Police Station.

These accused also committed a robbery at the house of landlord Yaqoob Araian in Chak No. 359-EB of Gagu Mandi, during which Yaqoob Araian’s two infant girls lost their lives.

The dacoits had become a symbol of terror and harassment in the area. A spokesman of CCD said that the Counter-Terrorism Department and the police had been investigating the gang for the last few weeks.

The CCD constituted different teams and a search operation is underway to arrest the other accomplices of these dacoits.

In the second police encounter, four dacoits of an inter-provincial gang were killed one policeman became seriously injured and three dacoits escaped from the spot.

The police encounter took place near Ada Tarkhani. Sources said that dacoits established a barricade on Tarkhani Road at night and were busy in looting people. After noticing the CCD team, the dacoits started firing. 

During exchange of fire, four dacoits were killed and one CCD personnel received serious bullet injuries and a CCD vehicle was also partially damaged. 

CCD recovered the loader rickshaw and latest weapons from the possession of the dead dacoits. 

Later, the CCD team shifted the dead bodies and the injured policeman to local hospital.

These dacoits were involved in serious criminal cases, including murder, snatching and robbery.

Reporters: Zafar Bhatti, Shehzad Ahmad