Police kill four robbers fleeing after robbery

LAHORE: Four robbers, who were trying to flee after committing a house robbery at Shadman, were killed in an encounter with CIA and local police which lasted for three hours on Wednesday morning.

CIA SP Tariq Mastoi and Iqbal Town SP Rana Umar led the police teams and managed to kill the robbers through a quick response and by devising an effective strategy on the spot. 

Five robbers, who used to commit house robberies in a car, barged into the house of a citizens, Qasim, at Shadman at around 12:45 am. They held the family hostage at gunpoint and collected valuables and gold ornaments worth hundreds of thousands of rupees. 

As they stepped out of the house after committing robbery and tried to flee from the scene along with the loot, they were confronted by a local security guard and police as someone had already informed police at Rescue 15. Police party warned robbers to surrender but they opened indiscriminate firing and rushed back to the same house to use the family members as human shield for their protection.

However, on seeing the doors locked from inside, they climbed the rooftop. As the roofs of the houses were joined with each other, they kept on fleeing. Meanwhile, Iqbal Town SP Rana Umar, who was on night patrolling, reached the scene along with heavy contingent of police. Model Town CIA DSP Malik Daud also reached the scene along with his force. The CIA SP reached the scene at around 2:30AM. Elite Force was also called in keeping in view the sensitivity of the situation in the residential area. The entire force cordoned off the area so the robbers could not escape. The CIA SP prepared a map of the area with the help of a local and finally ensued encounter with the robbers. 

The robbers were carrying sophisticated weapons and they opened indiscriminate firing at the police party. Police teams retaliated in the same fashion. The exchange of fire continued for over three hours. As firing stopped, four robbers were found killed. The police teams celebrated their success by chanting slogans of Nara-e-Takbeer. 

Police have removed the bodies to morgue but no case was registered till the filing of this report. Police have identified one of the four robbers as Sharafat Ali alias Foji,  son of Muahmmad Hussain, a resident of Sheikhupura. However, police are still working to identify other members of the gang through CRO record and fingerprints. It is also learnt that six big house robberies have been traced through the identification of one robber. 

CIA SP Tariq Mastoi, talking to The News, termed the incident a big achievement of Lahore police. He said it was a challenging situation in the residential area as the robbers were carrying an SMG with double magazine and other sophisticated weapons. To a question, he said the robbers used to commit house robberies in a luxury car. Police have taken the weapons and car into their custody.

The SP said it was a lifetime experience for him as he devised the strategy on spot and achieved big success in collaboration with other force members despite the involvement of big risk. Talking about the strategy to round up the robbers, he said police focused on blocking their movement through a map.