ISLAMABAD: Two handcuffed suspects were injured during an encounter between police and four gunmen who attempted to free them before escaping, police claimed.

According to the police, the two suspects had been arrested in connection with a robbery committed on August 30 within the jurisdiction of Koral police station. A case was registered under Section 392 of the Pakistan Penal Code (PPC) on the complaint of Adib Ali.

In the robbery, two motorcycle riders allegedly intercepted Adib at Sharifabad at gunpoint and snatched his motorcycle, two mobile phones and Rs374,000 cash.

Police arrested two suspects and after obtaining their physical remand from the court questioned them. During the interrogation, the suspects offered to assist in recovering the stolen motorcycle and mobile phones.

A six-member police team took the suspects, who were handcuffed, to their hideout in Sharifabad. After recovering the motorcycle and a mobile phone, the team was returning to the police station when four men riding two motorcycles intercepted the police vehicle.

Police claimed that the attackers opened fire on the police team and asked the detained suspects to flee.

The police personnel took cover behind their official vehicle and responded with aerial firing. During the exchange of fire, the two handcuffed suspects sustained bullet injuries from the firing by the attackers. The four gunmen later escaped from the spot. The injured suspects were shifted to hospital.

A case regarding the incident has been registered at the Koral police station.

Published in Dawn, September 27th, 2026