KHANEWAL, Sept 9: Police on Tuesday claimed to have killed a proclaimed offender (PO) in a shootout near Shergarh, some 35km away from here, in Kabirwala Sadar police precincts. A police party headed by Sadar SHO Manzoor Ahmad was patrolling near Shergarh in an official vehicle when they saw two suspects riding on a motorbike. The police signalled them to stop, but they did not and instead shot at the police. One of the suspects, later identified as Ijaz Chan, was injured in the ensuing shootout. Chan’s pillion rider Yaseen Bhatti, however, fled.

Chan was being taken to a hospital in an ambulance when he succumbed to his wounds.

Chan was a member of Khani Gang involved in a number of murders, robberies and other crimes. According to sources, a Chan’s accomplice, Afza Abbu, was killed in a shootout in Shorkot tehsil of Jhang district on Monday.

SUSPENDED: The district education officer (elementary) on Tuesday suspended a teacher from service on account of absence from duty.

The DEO visited the Government Middle School, Maulapur, without notice and found a PTC teacher, Sajjad Husain, absent. The DEO immediately ordered Sajjad’s suspension from service and appointed the Kabirwala deputy DEO inquiry officer.