HARIPUR: The police claimed to have killed two “robbers in an encounter” here on Tuesday night.

They added that one of their constables suffered a knee injury in the gunfire by robbers.

In an FIR registered by the City Police Station, SHO iinspector Haroon Khan claimed that two masked robbers came to a local franchise of the Utility Stores Corporation on a motorcycle at around 9:15pm, snatched a wallet carrying Rs15,000 from franchise owner Shah Sawar, and sped away.

He added that after learning about the incident, a police team led by him traced and chased “robbers” but as it tried to intercept them near the GT Road at around 11pm, they opened fire at it, injuring constable Majid Khan.

The SHO said the police returned the fire, immediately killing both robbers.

He said the bodies and the injured constable were shifted to the Trauma Centre, where robbers were identified as Mohammad Ibrahim and Ali, both residents of Paniyan village.

He said the police seized the robbers’ pistols and the cash they snatched from the USC franchise’s owner.

Mr Khan said the two robbers allegedly snatched Rs28,000 from Mohammad Zubair Abbasi of TIP Colony on June 7 evening after the latter drew cash from an ATM near the Telephone Industries of Pakistan.

The police also claimed to have arrested two “robbers” last week as the latter tried to flee after robberies. They insisted that the robbers suffered injuries after being shot by their accomplices.

On May 7 and May 10 last year, the Haripur police claimed to have killed three criminals.

The police insisted that Usman alias Bila wanted in several criminal cases was shot dead in an encounter near Kholiyan village on May 7, while Basharat and Naseer involved in attacking and injuring two police riders near Chamba Pind were killed in the May 10 encounter.

They added that police constable Khuda Bux, who was injured in firing by those outlaws, died later.

Published in Dawn, June 20th, 2024