OKARA: Police claim that four alleged dacoits were killed in firing by their own accomplices during a shootout near Ram Parshad canal bridge in the limits of Hujra Shah Mugeem police station.

As per the first information report (FIR), in the wee hours of Thursday a police patrolling party headed by Inspector Mahr Muhammad Ismail received information on 15 helpline that six to seven alleged dacoits were looting passersby at B-S link canal near Ram Parshad bridge.

The police team, informed the other mobile party`s patrolling in the area about the incident, and rushed to the scene.

On seeing the police team, the dacoits opened indiscriminate fire on them. The police, using mega phone ordered the criminals to surrender.

Meanwhile, another police party also arrived there and and surrounded the dacoits who continued firing.

The police retaliated the fire, ensuing a crossfire that continued for 40 to 50 minutes.

The FIR said that when the criminalsstopped firing, the police found four dacoits lying dead near the canal bridge.

The police claimed the four dacoits were killed in the firing by their three accomplices, who managed to escape taking advantage of the darkness, adding that no policeman was injured in the crossfire.

The police also claimed to have recovered four weapons and two snatched unregistered motorcycles from the spot.

The police shifted the bodies to the DHQ Hospital mortuary for the postmortem examination.

The police said the dead dacoits -two brothers and their as many nephews -belonged to Qila Jawand Singh near Depalpur.They were identified as Riaz, Sajid, Asif and Saleem.

The police claimed they were wanted in more then 40 cases of heinous crime.

On the report of Inspector Mahr Ismail, Hujra police registered a case under sections 302, 324, 353, 186, 402, 148 and 149 of the PPC, section 13-2(a) of The Punjab Arms Amendment Ordinance 2015 and sections 20, and 11-(b) of The Arms Ordinance 1965.