FAISALABAD  -  Faisalabad Police claimed to have busted 433 criminal gangs and arrested 34,188 criminals including 10,829 proclaimed offenders and 8,598 court absconders from various parts of the region in November last.

Police spokesperson Rizwan Bhatti said here on Tuesday the police on special direction of Regional Police Officer (RPO) launched a vigorous campaign against outlaws in four districts of the region and busted 433 gangs by arresting their 1248 members and recovered 458 pistols, 1234 motorcycles, 375 mobile phones and other valuables worth Rs500 million from their possession.

The police also nabbed 7,291 drug traffickers and recovered 3,037-kg hashish, 83-kg heroin, 45-kg ice and 102,616 litres liquor from their possession.

Similarly, the police also arrested 6,222 illicit weapon holders and recovered 5,232 pistols, 295 rifles, 51 revolvers, 475 guns, 169 Kalashnikovs and 20,705 bullets/cartridges from their possession.

One dacoit killed, 3 escape after police encounter

One dacoit was killed while his three accomplices managed to escape after a police encounter in Gulberg police limits.

A police spokesperson said here on Tuesday that the Dolphin Force signalled four suspects riding in a van near Chenab Chowk on late Monday night but the outlaws opened blunt firing on the police team and fled away towards ABC Road.

The Dolphin Force called area police for help and started chasing the criminals. Near Kamal Abad graveyard, the police encircled the outlaws and directed them to surrender but they once again opened indiscriminate firing on the police by taking shelter in nearby bushes.

The police also returned fire and during the encounter, one of the outlaws received serious injuries due to firing by his own accomplices and fell down on the ground, whereas his three accomplices managed to escape under the cover of darkness. The police tried to shift the injured criminal to hospital but he died on the way.

The killed outlaw was identified as Nauman Ejaz, a resident of Sohail Abad, who was wanted in dozens of cases of dacoity, robbery etc. The police recovered illicit weapons from the spot and took the van and other materials into custody while an investigation is ongoing, the spokesperson added.