Lahore, Aug 23 (PTI) The death toll in a rocket attack on police vans by dacoits in Pakistan's Punjab province rose to 12 on Friday after one of the wounded officers died in a hospital, as police pursued suspects in Punjab province, officials said.

Two vehicles carrying around 22 policemen were on their way back from a police camp in riverine area Rahim Yar Khan district, some 400 km from Lahore, when the vans stuck in a muddy roadway at Machah point on Thursday evening.

Also Read | Sephora Layoffs: Cosmetics Retailer Brand Lays Off Around 10% of Its Employees in China Amid Challenging Market Environment.

A group of dacoits reached there and attacked them with rockets and also opened fire on the police team. At least 11 cops were killed in the attack on the spot, while some of them were taken hostage and the remaining were injured, police said.

"On Friday one more policeman succumbed to his injuries, reaching the death toll to 12," a Punjab police spokesperson said.

Also Read | PM Narendra Modi and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky Visit Martyrologist Exposition, Pay Tribute to Children Who Lost Their Lives in Russia-Ukraine Conflict (See Pics).

He said a heavy contingent of police has launched an operation in Rahim Yar Khan pockets where the outlaws have been hiding. "Police today eliminated prime suspect, Bashir Shar, who was behind the killing of 12 cops. Five outlaws have also been injured," he said.

“Punjab police retaliated in response to the attack by terrorists in the kutcha (riverine) areas. The main suspect who attacked policemen yesterday, Bashir Shar, has reached his logical end,” the Punjab police said on X.

Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz said the police operation in riverine areas of the province will continue till the elimination of the last outlaw.

Organised criminal gangs have been active in the riverine border areas of southern Sindh and central Punjab for decades, often making money through kidnap-for-ransom assaults.

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)