Transporter among three people shot dead, target killers held

Around 16 people, including target killers, were arrested in the city.

KARACHI:

Three people were shot dead in the city in separate acts of violence while 16 people, including target killers affiliated with a political party, were arrested on Friday.

A transporter identified as 58-year-old Nasir Shah was shot dead in Daud Goth, Baldia Town. Saeedabad police officials said that the deceased was sitting inside his 'dera' when two men shot him three times. The body was taken to Civil Hospital, Karachi for an autopsy and was handed over to the family later.

As news of his killing spread, his relatives, friends and neighbourers gathered outside the police station and staged a protest. They condemned the incident and demanded law enforcers to arrest the suspects immediately.

The police conducted raids in different areas and arrested one of the suspects who was identified as Asghar. They also claim to have recovered a pistol used in the attack. According to the police, the suspect confessed to the killing and said it happened over resisting a robbery. A case was registered and the police have initiated further investigation.

Zafar Ali, 35, was found dead near the Lyari River. Pak Colony police station SHO Rao Shabbir said the deceased was a stenographer at the City Courts and was kidnapped on his way home from work. He added that Ali was tortured and shot at multiple times. Police officials suspected that Lyari gang members might have been involved in the killing. They said that the gangsters probably thought that he was a police informant.

Unidentified men stabbed Abdul Qadeem, 62, to death as he slept behind a petrol pump in Nazimabad. SHO Ejaz Lodhi said that the deceased was a rickshaw driver.

Arrests

At least 10 suspects were apprehended during targeted raids in Gulzar-e-Hijri, Landhi, Saiful Mari Goth and Dastagir Colony. The Rangers spokesperson said that 10 criminals, including target killers affiliated with a political party, were taken into custody along with weapons.  The suspects were taken to an undisclosed location for further questioning.

The Special Investigation Unit (SIU) claims to have apprehended two suspects - Rehmatullah alias Khan and Fahad Ahmed alias Vicky. According to SIU chief SP Farooq Awan, the arrests were made in a raid conducted on a tip-off in Surjani Town. He said that the arrested suspects were involved in robberies.

A man who killed two workers of the Ahle Sunnat Wal Jamaat (ASWJ) was arrested by the PIB Colony police. DSP Nasir Lodhi said that the accused, Akmal, and his accomplices killed two ASWJ workers on July 5. He claimed that Akmal was a drug dealer by professions and had killed the ASWJ men because they were running a campaign against the suspect's drug dens.

The Khwaja Ajmer Nagri police claim to have arrested two alleged land grabbers - Haider Ali and Yasin, and also claim to have recovered a hand grenade and pistol from them. SHO Aslam Khakrani said that the men were involved in various criminal cases and two of their companions were also killed in an encounter with the Rangers in Saeedabad.

A political party worker was arrested during a raid in Korangi. The accused was identified as Faisal alias Charbi. Awami Colony police SHO Ahmed Butt said that the men confessed to having killed two people in Sharafi Goth and Orangi Town.

Alleged extortionist killed 

An alleged extortionist was gunned down during an  encounter with the Special Investigation Unit in Soldier Bazaar on Friday evening. The deceased was identified as Sajjad. SIU officials said that Sajjad and his accomplice had arrived to collect money from a trader in Paper Market when the SIU personnel who were already there, killed him during an exchange of fire. His accomplice managed to escape. The SIU said that the deceased used to live in Lyari.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 13^th, 2014.