From Paul Osuyi, Asaba
Two suspected armed robbers have been killed during a fierce exchange of fire with the police in Ughelli area of Delta State.
A third member of the suspected robbery gang sustained severe injuries during the gun duel which lasted for about ten minutes.
The police had received a distressed call that a three-man armed gang was operating at an ATM gallery of a branch of a new generation bank in the town.
Police operatives were said to have responded swiftly to the distressed call.
On sighting the police, the hoodlums zoomed off, but the operatives gave them a hot chase.
It was learnt that as the police were closing-in on the bandits along Isoko road, the fleeing suspects opened fire.
However the police responded to the fire, and in the ensuing gun duel, two of the suspects fell while the third suspect fled the scene with life threatening gun shot injuries.
A source at ‘A’ divisional police station said two locally made pistol, many live cartridges, one expended cartridge, and one red Golf 3 car marked AJ 220 EFR were recovered.
Public Relations Officer of the state police command, DSP Onome Onovwakpoyeya confirmed the incident.
Local sources recalled that a gang of three had last Wednesday trailed a POS operator to his house and shut him and two others severally, leaving one person dead, and fled with raw cash.
Meanwhile, a five-man gang of robbers believed to be terrorising Ighwrekan and its environs in Ughelli South Local Government Area were caught after robbing a POS operator in the community.
But luck ran out of two of them as they were caught by youths who chased them after the robbery operation.
The two suspects were allegedly set ablaze by the mob.