BAHAWALPUR: The Saddar police claimed on Sunday that a proclaimed offender was allegedly killed in the firing of his own accomplices during an `encounter` near Hootwala village.

According to District Police Officer (DPO) Aibdata Nisar, on an emergency call about the presence of three alleged robbers near Hootwala village, a team of Saddar police rushed to the scene and encircled the suspects, who allegedly opened fire on the police.

The district police officer said that the police party retaliated the fire, ensuing a shootout. When the crossfire ended, the police found one of the suspects, later identified as Nadir, lying dead.

The district police officer claimed the suspect was killed in the firing by his own accomplices, who managed to flee.

The police took the body in custody and shifted it to the Bahawal Victoria Hospital (BVH) for the postmortem examination.

The police claimed the deceased was wanted in several criminal cases registered against him in different police stations across the province.

The district police officer said further investigation was in progress, while a case against the fleeing suspects had been registered against by Saddar police.

Meanwhile ,Yazman police claimed to have arrested three dacoits, including their ringleader, while several stolen and snatched items wererecovered from the criminals.

WALL OF KINDNESS: The district administration has established a `Deewar-e Maharbani` (Wall of Kindness) to provide help to the poor and the destitute by the local philanthropists.

The `wall` was opened by Deputy Commissioner Zahid Parvaiz Wariach at the local Dar-ul-Sanat Zar on Sunday.

A large number of people donated gifts including woolen clothes, shoes and other articles of daily use for the the deserving people on the occasion.

The DC appealed to philanthropists to donate generously for the poor.

COVID BOOSTER: A 13-day special campaign has been launched in Lodhran district to administer Covid vaccine booster doze to the people on Sunday.

Deputy Commissioner Babar Rehman Wariach said that during the vaccination campaign over 0.6 million people would be administered the booster doze of the vaccine in the district.

He added that total 202 teams, including 56 stationary and 146 outreach teams of health officials had been assigned the vaccination task in the district.

He said two vaccination teams would be deployed in each union council, while each rural health centre (RHC) would have four teams.

The DC said he would personally monitor the teams` performance to ensure hundred percent achievement of the target even in the far-flung areas of the district.