SADIQABAD: Punjab police have reported the killing of an active member of the Andhar gang during an exchange of fire in the Katcha area (riverine), according to ARY News.
A spokesperson for the Punjab police confirmed that the deceased dacoit was a key suspect in a kidnapping-for-ransom case, using honey traps to lure victims. The police recovered a significant arsenal of weapons, including an AK-47 and hundreds of rounds of ammunition, from the suspect.
The police stated that when the operation began in the Katcha area, the armed criminals fired upon the officers. During the gunfight, the gangster was killed, and a search operation is ongoing in the region.
The police further revealed that the deceased dacoit was involved in numerous robberies and attacks on law enforcement agencies. The operation took place behind Basti Saeed Abassi, near the Sindh border, with the police deploying armored vehicles, elite commandos, night vision goggles, and heavy weapons.
In a related case, Punjab police had previously claimed the death of Shahid Lund, the leader of the notorious Lund gang operating in the Katcha area. Initially, police stated that Shahid Lund had been killed by his own associates, but later revised their statement, confirming that he was fatally shot during a joint operation by Rahim Yar Khan and Rajanpur police.
Shahid Lund, who was wanted in multiple serious cases, including murder and kidnapping for ransom, had been on the run for some time. The Punjab government had placed a Rs 10 million reward for his capture due to the severity of his crimes.
At first, police claimed Lund was shot by his associate, Umar Lund, after a dispute between them. However, they later clarified that Shahid Lund was killed by law enforcement during the ongoing joint operation, which had been underway for two months to target criminal elements in the area. The inspector general of police praised the successful operation carried out by the forces of Rahim Yar Khan and Rajanpur.
