Two police officials were martyred and four others injured on Sunday during an exchange of fire between suspected bandits and police in the Shah Belo area of Sukkur.

A heavy contingent of police launched an operation against outlaws in Shah Belo, a kacha area, which has seen repeat operations in the last 20 years to clear it from criminals and outlaws. The forest in the area is regarded as a sanctuary for a number of known gangs and outlaws.

Sukkur Additional Inspector General (AIG) Dr Jameel Ahmed said that police were conducting an operation in Shah Belo in the jurisdiction of the Bachal Bhewo police station when hidden outlaws began firing at an armoured police van. Police then retaliated.

During the exchange of fire, Lakhi Ghulam Shah Station House Officer (SHO) Ghulam Murtaza Mirani and Assistant Sub-Inspector (ASI) Zulfikar Ali Panhwar were martyred, while ASI Shahzaib, Saddam Dayo, Ghulam Rasool and Saddam Marfani were wounded, the Sukkur AIG said. Following the incident, the unidentified assailants fled the site of the operation.

Upon receiving reports of the incident, a large contingent of police reached the site of the operation and began a search for the suspects, due to which another encounter between both parties is expected, the AIG added.

The bodies of the martyred policemen and the injured have been shifted to a private hospital in Sukkur, where AIG Ahmed visited them and ordered the provision of the best treatment for them.