As many as five persons including four proclaimed offenders and one police official were killed in an encounter between police and wanted criminals here on Sunday.
The encounter took place at Miyal near Chakri Interchange in the limits of Chontra Police Station.
According to police, on a tip-off, Saddar Baroni Deputy Superintendent of Police, Malik Muhammad Ijaz came to know that some wanted criminals were present at the dara (house) of Malik Abid.
On this, he constituted a police party led by the PS Chontra SHO for conducting a raid to arrest the criminals.
The police party on the early hours of Sunday raided the den of proclaimed offenders, who belonged to Malik Abid and Malik Pervez group.
However, according to police, upon seeing the police party, the criminals opened indiscriminate fire on the police. In retaliation, the police too opened heavy firing which resulted in the killing of four criminals. However, ASI Gulam Akbar of Police Post Chakbali was also killed and a constable Hasnan Shahzad received bullet injuries.
The injured constable and dead bodies of the criminals were shifted to district headquarters hospital.
The entire area remained in the grip of tension and fear.
A spokesman of Rawalpindi police said that injured constable’s condition was precarious and doctors were trying their best to save his life.
He said the criminals who were killed in encounter were wanted in many cases of murder, robbery, collecting extortion money from people, and some other crimes.
Those criminals who died in the encounter are included Faisal Amir, Muhammad Taj, Muhammad Ameer and Sajad Mahmood.
Funeral prayer of ASI Gulam Abbas was held at 6:15 pm at Police Line number-1.
Talking to media person, Additional Inspector General of Police for Rawalpindi Region, Captain (r) Muhammad Zubair announced that Rawalpindi Police will give one-day salary to the family of slain ASI.
He also announced commendation certificates and cash prize for police party which conducted the raid.
