OKARA: Three criminals were killed and two policemen sustained injuries in a shootout near Chak 31/4L, Gambar Mor, on Wednesday night.

District Police Officer Muhammad Faisal Rana said three murder accused -Sarfraz Nawaz, Shahid Iqbal and Moeen Akram -managed to escape on bikes parl(ed outside the police station when the power supply suddenly suspended.

Meanwhile, Cantonment SHO Mehr Nosher Ahmad received a wireless message near Malgada Chowk that six bike riders had shotat and injured Maqsoodul Hasan and fled towards southward.

The SHO, who was in pursuit of bike riders, was informed near Chak 22/4L that same criminals had snatched a bike, mobile phones and cash from another villager, Muhammad Azam.

However, villagers besieged the criminals near Chak 31/4L, Gambar Mor, where criminals started shootout with villagers who were later joined in by a police party. In the shootout, ASI Muhammad Anwar and constable Muhammad Imran suffered injuries and were rushed to a hospital.

When the guns became silent, the police found three bodies of crimi-nals in the fields while their as many accomplices managed to escape.

Police also recovered a bike, mobile phones and weapons from the spot.

The Shabore police have registered a case against the criminals and sent the bodies to the DHQ Hospital.

Okara Cantonment police have also registered a case against three criminals for snatching a bike and cash from Muhammad Azam of village 31/4L.

Another case was registered on the report of Sub-Inspector Ijaz Aslam against constables Ghulam Sarwar and Tasawwar for showing negligence on whose custody the three criminals escaped.