Unidentified gunmen kill 3 under-custody bank robbers in Pak's Peshawar

Peshawar, May 21 (PTI): Three under-custody suspected bank robbers have been shot dead after unidentified armed men opened fire on a police team escorting them in northwest Pakistan’s Peshawar, police sai.

Written By : PTI | Updated at : 21 May 2026 02:59 AM (IST)

Peshawar, May 21 (PTI): Three under-custody suspected bank robbers have been shot dead after unidentified armed men opened fire on a police team escorting them in northwest Pakistan’s Peshawar, police said.

The incident occurred within the limits of Machni Gate Police Station when unknown assailants attacked an investigation team escorting the suspects during the course of interrogation and identification of crime scenes, a police official said late on Wednesday. According to police, the deceased suspects were identified as Muhammad Shoaib, Muhammad Umar alias Wajahat and Muhammad Imad and were allegedly involved in bank robberies and the killing of a police personnel.

Police said the suspects had been taken to Allied Bank in the Pir Bala area on Warsak Road to complete legal formalities and identify the scene of a previous robbery.

During the operation, three pistols allegedly used in the bank robbery were recovered from a nearby location after being identified by the suspects.

Officials said the police team was later transporting the suspects to another alleged planning site when unidentified motorcyclists opened indiscriminate fire near Northern Bypass in an apparent attempt to free their accomplices.

The station house officer (SHO) and another policeman survived after bullets struck their bulletproof jackets and helmets, while the official police vehicle sustained damage in the attack.

Police said the three under-custody suspects were fatally hit during the exchange of fire, while the attackers managed to flee the scene.

Following the incident, SP Warsak Division Muhammad Arshad Khan reached the site along with a heavy police contingent, and investigators collected evidence from the area.

Authorities said a search operation has been launched across the Warsak Division to arrest the fleeing attackers, while security and snap-checking at entry and exit points have been intensified.

According to police, the deceased suspects were wanted in multiple cases, including the killing of a security guard during a bank robbery on Kohat Road on January 20, 2026, and the killing of Additional SHO Bahar Ali during an attempted bank robbery in Pir Bala on Warsak Road on March 6, 2026. PTI AYZ RD RD RD

(This story is published as part of the auto-generated syndicate wire feed. No editing has been done in the headline or the body by ABP Live.)