Pervaiz Ahmed
CHINIOT - Police on Sunday killed five attackers when they held hostage two men in an attempt to flee from the scene after killing three people at Bhowana Town’s main bazaar, some 35 km from here at Jhang Road.
As per details, five armed men stormed main bazaar of Bhowana Town at Jhang Road at noon and shot dead Wali Khan and Sher Khan along with a local trader and tried to flee from the scene.
Bhowana police intercepted them and they took refuge in crop fields holding two men working in the fields hostages. Hearing about the incident, District Police Officer Munir Zia along with heavy contingent of police from whole of the district reached there and surrounded the area.
The DPO held negotiations with attackers on cellphone for release of hostages and arrest of the assailants but it did not work.
The attackers refused to free hostages and opened fire on police using guns and hand grenades. The security forces retaliated. Later, RPO Faisalabad Muhammad Nawaz Waraich also joined the encountering party and after five hours of gunbattle, all five attackers were killed. However, the police succeeded to recover the hostages safe and sound. A police constable and a TV channel cameraman were also injured in the crossfire.
Initial information revealed that both deceased and attackers belonged to Bajaur Agency and had old enmity. Due to which the deceased Sher Khan and Wali Khan shifted to Bhowana Town but their enemies chased and killed them.
DPO Chiniot Rao Munir Zia said one of the attackers was identified as Muhammad Zaigham of Shah Pur Saddar. He also said that police tried its best to get them arrested and asked them to lay arms but they refused to comply with the directions.