MIRPURKHAS - Two Station House Officers among five policemen were martyred during an encounter within the jurisdictions of Mehmoodabad police station. Four dacoits were also killed and 8 policemen injured in the incident on Saturday.
The encounter took place in Ali Talpur Town in the wee hours of Saturday which continued from 12:30am to 7am. Four dacoits including the one carrying head money of Rs1 million was killed.
Hyderabad police on a tipoff conducted raid at a house in Ali Talpur town where dacoits opened fire on the police. The police responded with additional reinforcement from Mirpurkhas, Tandoallahyar and Jamshoro districts while three armored personnel carrier were also sought from Hyderabad.
Mirpurkhas SSP Usman Ghani Siddiqui reached the spot and joined the Hyderabad police.
The felons were residing with family in a rented house. Due to the presence of women and children the encounter continued for 6 and half hours. During this thousands of rounds were fired by both sides.
At last 5 police men of Hyderabad police identified as SHO A section police Hassan Ali Abidi, SHO Market police Wahid Bux Leghari, constable Abdul Jabbar, constable Anwer Jameel and constable Dilber Hussain were killed while 4 dacoits Shafique Ilyas alias Ilyas Choto Narejo carrying 1 million head-money, Wahab Narejo, Qurban Narejo and Jan Muhammad son of Hidayatullah were encountered.
Eight constables including Shehzad Marri of Mirpurkhas, constable Muhibullah of Tandoallahyar and constable Laiq Ahmed, Sajjad Ali, Faisal, Mumtaz Brohi, Ghulam Hussain and Muhammad Waris of Hyderabad were seriously injured and were rushed to civil hospital Mirpurkhas. The bodies of the deceased policemen and dacoits were brought at civil hospital Mirpurkhas for legal formality.
Mehmoodabad police detained 5 women and 3 three children while police also recovered a sizable quantity of illegal arms including Kalashnikovs.
On Saturday Sindh Police IG Ghulam Haider Jamali along with DIG Hyderabad and SP Hyderabad arrived at Mirpurkhas and visited the crime scene where talking to media IG police Sindh Ghulam Haider Jamali said that a high level inquiry of this incident will be conducted.  
He congratulated the police force and officers saying that police force fought despite having low resources.
Sources said that about 500 policemen and officers of districts Mirpurkhas, Hyderabad, Tando Allah Yar and Jamshoro took part in the six and half hours long encounter.
ZARDARI GRIEVED OVER MARTYRDOM
OF SINDH COPS
Former president Asif Ali Zardari condoled the martyrdom of valiant police officials who lost their lives while fighting dacoits in Mirpurkhas. He spoke to Sindh Chief Minister Qaim Ali Shah on telephone and expressed deep grief and sorrow over the martyrdom of police officers during gun battle with dacoits in Mirpurkhas.
He paid rich tributes to brave policemen who sacrificed their lives in the line of duty. On the instructions of Asif Ali Zardari, the chief minister Sindh announced 10 million rupees in compensation to the families of each police official.
Funeral prayer offered
Funeral prayer of four police officials, who were martyred during an encounter with a gang of dacoits in Mirpurkhas was offered at Police Headquarters here on Saturday.
Inspector General of Sindh Police, Ghulam Haider Jamali, high officials of Police including DIG Hyderabad Sanaullah Abbasi, SSP Hyderabad Irfan Baloch attended the funeral prayer of Station House Officer (SHO) A-Section Police Station Latifabad Hassan Raza Abidi, SHO Market Police Station Wahid Bux Leghari and Police Constables Anwer Jamil and Dilber.
The coffins of martyred police officials were wrapped in national and police flags and accorded national honour before and after the funeral.
Talking to newsmen after offering the funeral prayer, Jamali paid rich tributes to the martyred police officials adding that they preferred to sacrifice their lives but save the women and children who were put forward by the outlaws as their shield during the encounter. The police were in a position to gun down all outlaws but due to the women and children being made a shield by the accused, the force had to face difficulties.
Besides usual compensation and other benefits, the IGP Sindh informed that he would recommend the award of Quaid-e-Azam Police Medals for martyred police officials while their children will be appointed in the department. To a question, he said the Sindh Police had now been equipped with sophisticated weapons and equipments with required training, however, he said that there is still need of more bullet proof jackets, bombproof vehicles and armoured personnel carriers for the police of the province. The encounter took place in Mehmoodabad area of Mirpurkhas City on late Friday night.