KARACHI: Three suspected bandits were killed in two separate encounters with police in different areas on Saturday, officials said. A policeman was also wounded in one of the exchanges of fire.

In Surjani Town, a van on a regular patrol duty spotted two bandits who were snatching cash and valuables from a young man near Roozi Goth. The police said when the man saw the police, he shouted for help, prompting the bandits to open fire.

“The firing left one of our constables, Maqsood Khan, wounded,” said DSP Shaukat Ali Shahani, the area’s sub-divisional police officer (SDPO). “The police party retaliated and chased the bandits who were trying to escape the scene while firing on the police van. With the injured policeman in the van, our three other constables returned fire, wounding both bandits, who later died while being treated at the Abbasi Shaheed Hospital.”

The police claimed to have seized three pistols, mobile phones and cash from the bandits, who remained unidentified and their bodies were shifted to the Edhi morgue after medico-legal formalities.

A few hours later, another bandit was killed in North Nazimabad. Area police said a Shahrah-i-Noor Jahan police party exchanged gunfire with two bandits, killing one of them and wounding the other.

“The encounter took place near Shipowners College,” said DSP Iftikhar Lodhi, the area SDPO. “The patrolling police intercepted the bandits when they were running away after snatching cash and valuables from people waiting for transport at a bus stop. The moment a police van emerged, they started the motorbike and sped away. The patrolling party after hearing people’s complaints chased them and an encounter ensued near the college.

He said one of the bandits died and the other was arrested with a bullet wound in his chest. The injured bandit was being treated at the Abbasi Shaheed Hospital and the police would come to know about the identity details of both of them once the doctors allowed police to record his statement, he added.