QUETTA: A Levies Risaldar was martyred, and three other soldiers were seriously injured in an exchange of fire with an alleged criminal gang, also involved in terrorism in Pishin district on Wednesday.

Security forces launched an operation after the firing incident and arrested two dozen suspects, including proclaimed offenders, and recovered stolen items, including motorcycles and illegal arms.

The Levies officer martyred in the gun battle was identified as Hameedullah Tareen, while Musa Jan, Bilal Khan, and Zahoor Agha were injured.

Officials said the encounter between Levies Force personnel and suspects in the Killi Manzari area of Pishin left four Levies officials injured.

They added that Levies Force rushed to the site soon after receiving information about the fire exchange and shifted the injured to the district hospital in Pishin, where one of the Levies officials died during treatment, while the other three were shifted to the Civil Hospital in Quetta.

“Levies Force arrested 24 suspected criminals who were also involved in terrorist activities,” Deputy Commissioner Pishin Capt (retd) Jumma Dad Mandokhail said, adding that the proclaimed offenders were involved in heinous crimes.