The dead was identified by Rab as Jamal, a criminal for hire, who had several cases filed against him including two for murder and one for robbery. On information that Jamal had been staying in Rampura in disguise and frequented Kakoli area regularly, a team of Rab 4 waylaid him in front of army club at 5:30pm Sunday, a Rab press release said.

During interrogation, Jamal told Rab men that his cohorts were hiding and preparing for an attack in a den at Baburtek in Damalkot area of Kafrul.

Rab 4 team went to the area to arrest his accomplices and recover firearms at around 4:30am yesterday. As soon as they reached the spot, unknown criminals opened fire on the elite force suddenly, prompting them to retaliate, the press release said.

"Taking advantage of the suddenness of the incident and darkness, Jamal ran in an attempt to flee and fell in the line of fire," the release reads.

After the shootout, Rab team found Jamal lying bullet-hit and dead, while his accomplices fled.

A revolver, a pipe-gun, three cartridges of gun and four pistol and revolver bullets were recovered from the spot.

Jamal was also a robber and extortionist and used to kill people on instructions of top criminals Ibrahim and Taj, the press release said.