Five alleged gangsters killed in separate police encounters

Two suspected AQIS members arrested in Defence.

KARACHI: Five suspected gangsters were killed on Friday in two separate encounters with the police.

The three suspects were killed when Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD) officials conducted a targeted raid at the suspects' hideout in Mehran Town on Thursday night. CTD incharge SSP Junaid Shaikh informed the media at a press conference on Friday that the raid was conducted on a tip-off about the presence of the suspects, adding that CTD personnel faced resistance during the raid; however, the three militants were killed after an exchange of fire. Their bodies were taken to Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre for autopsies and later shifted to the Edhi morgue in Sohrab Goth.



The deceased suspects were later identified as Omar Khan, Ranja and Alam Khan while one of their accomplices, Shamoon Masih alias Sooraj, was wounded but managed to escape under the cover of fire. SSP Shaikh said that the gang, comprising 11 members, has been involved in a number of cases of crime, particular street crimes, house robberies, targeted killings and gang rapes in 2015 and 2016 in parts of Korangi. Besides this, the gang has also been involved in a targeted attack on anti-car lifting cell officer inspector Mumtaz Awan, in which he was critically wounded.



SSP Shaikh said that the gang was involved in nearly 200 cases of street crime and they have also looted cash and other valuables worth Rs20 million during at least 27 house robberies. He added that they have also been involved in at least five cases of gang rape, particularly during house robberies. The police also claimed to have seized hand grenades and arms and ammunition from their possession. The cases against the suspects were registered and further investigation is underway. He said that the police are also looking for their absconding associates.

In a separate incident, two suspects were killed during an alleged encounter with the police near Mewa Shah Graveyard in Pak Colony. Officials said that the encounter took place when the police were conducting snap-checking and tried to intercept four suspects riding on two motorcycles near the Mewa Shah Graveyard. They added that the armed assailants attempted to escape while resorting to indiscriminate fire instead of stopping their motorcycles. The police retaliated and killed two of them, while the other two managed to escape. Their bodies were shifted to the Edhi morgue for identification purposes after medico-legal formalities at Civil Hospital, Karachi. Police suspect that the suspects were members of a Lyari-based gang.



In another raid, the police claimed to have apprehended two suspected members of alQaeda in the Indian Subcontinent (AQIS) after an encounter in Defence's Phase II. The police also claim to have seized detonators, ball bearings, a repeater and a snatched motorcycle from their possession. The suspects were identified as Daniyal and Riaz. SSP Dr Muhammad Farooq said that the arrested suspects used to provide logistical support to their AQIS counterparts and that the group was currently planning to carry out attacks on the Shia community.

Published in The Express Tribune, June 4^th, 2016.