CHINIOT, March 24: Police claim to have killed three dacoits in an encounter and arrested four of their accomplices here on Friday night. Five policemen were also injured in the shootout.

Reports said 10 armed men on four motorcycles stopped a truck on Chiniot-Chak Jhumra Road and looted cash and three cell phones from driver Ilyas and conductors Liaqat and Amir.

On information, a police party rushed to the spot and started chasing the dacoits who fled towards nearby Chak 126-JB.

Near the canal bridge, a shootout took place between the dacoits and the police which continued for one hour. In the crossfire, three of the dacoits — Rafiq Bao of Sheikhupura, Sophni Malangi of Sherakot, Lahore, and Salla Charagh of Chiniot — were killed, while four others — Riaz Anwar of Kasur, Khadim of Sheikhupura, Babu Barkat of Kasur and Maulvi Bashir of Sherakot — sustained injuries and were taken into custody by the police. They were admitted to DHQ Hospital.

The police claim to have seized three motorcycles, arms and ammunition from the dacoits.

The preliminary investigation revealed that this gang had committed a dacoity in the house of Ilmas Chattha in Chak 147-JB, Faisalabad district, the same night and gang-raped women.

District Police Officer Rana Shahzad Akbar said these dacoits were part of the Oad gang which was involved in dacoity, rape and murder cases in Faisalabad, Chiniot, Kasur and Sheikhupura districts.