Encounters: Alleged gang member killed, seven others arrested by law enforcers

KARACHI:

An alleged gang member, wanted in more than 22 cases of murder, was killed during an encounter with the law enforcers in Lyari, while seven more suspects were arrested in separate raids in different parts of the city on Friday.

The encounter took place at Cheel Chowk, Lyari, within the limits of the Kalakot police station, when the police and Rangers conducted a joint raid at the gangsters' hideout. Upon seeing the law enforcers, the gangsters opened fire at them and tried to escape.

The police and Rangers fired back, killing one of them. Unfortunately, all others managed to escape under the cover of fire.

The body of the gangster was taken to Civil Hospital, Karachi, where he was later identified as Haroon, 28, son of Afzal Kareem, a resident of Nayabad, Lyari.

He was associated with the Wasiullah Lakho group of the Lyari gangsters. SHO Haji Sanaullah said that the raid was conducted by the Rangers on intelligence information, adding that the police were on backup.

He said that that besides murder, he was also involved in extortion and kidnapping cases. A case has been registered while further investigations are under way.

Separately, another suspect was injured and arrested during an alleged encounter with the police in Nawa Lane, Kalakot. The suspect was identified as Saad aka Baba, son of Abdullah, who was associated with the Naeem Lahoti group of the Lyari gangsters.

SHO Haji Sanaullah claimed that the arrested accused was the in-charge of the 'bhatta' collection for his group. He added that a TT pistol and a hand grenade were recovered from his possession.

CID action

Meanwhile, the Crime Investigation Department (CID) claimed to have apprehended six suspects during a targeted raid conducted at Mawach Goth.

CID in-charge Raja Omar Khattab told The Express Tribune that the raid was conducted on a tip-off, adding that the suspects were arrested after an exchange of fire.

The arrested suspects were wanted by the police in a number of cases of kidnapping for ransom, extortion and police encounters. Two hand grenades, two Kalashnikovs and four pistols were recovered from their possession.

Published in The Express Tribune, August 2^nd, 2014.