Day 2: Child killed, mother injured as gangsters fight

Residents of the area say Baba Ladla’s men were trying to take over rival's turf.

KARACHI: The Lyari gang war flared up on Monday as a two-year-old girl was killed while eight others were injured during a violent encounter between two groups of Lyari gangsters.

Rasheeda, Ghulam Qadir's daughter, lost her life while her mother, Gul Jabeen, 26, was injured when gang members fired an awan bomb at the rickshaw they were travelling in near Chakiwara Road within the limits of the Chakiwara police station.

The mother and daughter were residents of Maula Madad Road. Witnesses claim that Gul Jabeen and her daughter had just gotten in the rickshaw and were going somewhere when the incident took place.

Residents of the area said that at least two awan bombs were hurled by gangsters in different locations of the area to target their rivals. The deceased and injured were taken to Civil Hospital, Karachi for medical treatment. Others injured in the clash included Humaira, 35, her four-year-old son, Ibrahim, Anwar, 35, Ibrahim, 40, Shahjahan, 33, Ayaz, 35, and Nabeel, 30.

Following the incident, an extra contingent of law enforcers reached the site and cordoned off the area. They also conducted a search operation in the area and claimed to have apprehended over half a dozen suspects.

This is the second consecutive day the Uzair Baloch and Baba Ladla groups of Lyari gangsters have attacked each other. On Sunday, nearly half a dozen gangsters were injured. Residents said that the recent attacks took place in the stronghold of the Uzair Baloch group. "This is a turf war," said a resident of the area. "The Ladla men are trying to occupy Uzair's area." He added that Baba Ladla's men were targeting Uzairs and innocent residents of the area were caught in the middle.

SHO Yasin Gujjar said that an extra contingent of law enforcers have been deployed in the area. He added that a case had been registered and further investigation was underway.

Published in The Express Tribune, March 3^rd, 2015.