Pak: Six killed during police bid to free doctor

Police commandos launched an operation at Wah area after learning that the doctor, Tallal Khan, was being held by his abductors in a house.

Islamabad: Six persons, including two women, were killed in a shootout near the Pakistani capital on Thursday during a botched bid by police to free an abducted doctor.

Police commandos launched a pre-dawn operation at Wah area after learning that the doctor, Tallal Khan, was being held by his abductors in a house in the town. The kidnappers shot dead Khan and began firing indiscriminately at the police, triggering a gun battle. Sub Inspector Raja Hassnain and four persons in the house, including two women, were killed in the exchange of fire.

A Deputy Superintendent of Police and a sub-inspector were injured, DSP Raja Taifoor Akhter told reporters. The doctor was kidnapped by a gang of outlaws a month ago.

The gang, which was involved in several abduction cases, had demanded a ransom of Rs 60 lakh for his release, Akhter said.
The operation went wrong even though a large contingent of police commandos from Haripur and Taxila, backed by armoured vehicles, was deployed for the raid.

PTI