OKARA: B-Division police claimed that two alleged robbers were killed on Tuesday night in the firing by their own accomplices during an `encounter` near a church on the National Highway.

As per the first information report (FIR), a team of City B-Division police was on a routine patrol when they were informed by investigation Inspector Shan Muhammad that three unidentified armed motorcyclists snatched a motorcycle, cash and a mobile phone from one Chand Mushtaq, a resident of 5/4-L village, near Nursery Mor on Allama Iqbal Road and sped away towards 4/L canal bridge.

The police team started chasing the suspects who took positions behind the boundary wall of a church on the GT Road and opened fire on police.

The police returned the ñre,ensuingacrossñre.

As the suspects` guns went silent, the police searched the area, finding two unidentified men, later identified as Yasir of103-EB village and Afzaal alias Kaka of Mujahid Colony, Burewala, lying dead.

The police claimed the dead suspects were hit by the bullets fired by their own accomplices, who managed to escape taking advantage ofdarkness.

The police also claimed to have found the snatched bil(e (OKM 3112), two mobile phone, Rs5,000 cash and an illicit weapon, from the scene.

The dead bodies were shifted to the district headquarters hospital`s mortuary for autopsy.

On the report of B Division police station in charge (SHO) SubInspector Saadatullah Jatoi, a case was registered against the unidentiEed suspects under sections 302, 324, 353, 186, 411 and 34 of the Pakistan Penal Code and section 13-2(a) of The Punjab Arms Amended Ordinance 2015 and Arms Ordinance-20 of 1965.

The district police spokesperson said the dead suspects were wanted by police in many cases of heinous crimes in Okara, Vehari and other districts.