Police nab ‘sneaky’ robbers, doubling as guns for hire in Karachi

Gang of four had been deceiving police while operating in government vehicles


Our Correspondent October 13, 2018
PHOTO: AFP

KARACHI: Four alleged criminals were caught red-handed while robbing a bungalow in North Nazimabad, on Friday. One of the suspects was wearing a police T-shirt. On receiving information via the police helpline, Madadgar 15, a police team reached the scene. There was an exchange of gun fire and four suspects were arrested. Stolen goods, weapons and a government plate were recovered from the suspects.

The robbers broke into a bungalow located in North Nazimabad Block T, early Friday morning, and started looting valuables while keeping occupants at gun point. Shahrae Noor Jahan Police Station SHO Rao Umair told The Express Tribune that as soon as they received information about the incident, a police party was dispatched to the scene. On reaching, they found a man, clad in a police T-shirt, seated in a car with a government number plate outside the bungalow. When questioned, the man introduced himself as a police officer and told the police party that no criminal activity had taken place there. Satisfied with the assurance, the police party returned to the station but after a few minutes, another call was received on the helpline. The team rushed back to the scene. This time, as they interrogated the same man more strictly, his accomplices, from inside the bungalow, opened fire at the police party. Police retaliated and managed to arrest three other suspects along with the man impersonating a police officer.

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The suspects were identified as Wahab, Shehroze, Shahrukh and Taimur. Police have also seized illegal weapons, mobile phones, stolen goods and a government number plate car from the suspects, said the SHO. The car, bearing the number plate GL 7641, was snatched from Aziz Bhatti a few months ago. In the initial investigations, the suspects confessed to having been involved in several incidents of robbery.

Targeted killings

SHO Rao Umair informed The Express Tribune that on further interrogation, the suspects admitted to killing many people. They were involved in the murder of a police official and an intelligence agency official. These suspects also carried out many incidents of target killings. They are affiliated with a religious party, claimed police.

In 2012, the suspects had killed an assistant sub-inspector of police (ASI) Mohsin in Brigade area. They said that they had killed the ASI on the orders of their leadership. The deceased. Mohsin. was posted at Ferozabad Police Station. The suspects had also murdered an official of an intelligence agency in Saddar. They also admitted to have killed many workers of different political parties.

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According to police, this gang of four operated in a very organised way. They used to travel in a vehicle bearing a government number plate. During the criminal activity, the vehicle used to be parked outside the house where one suspect, Wahab, would stand wearing a police T-shirt due to which he was never suspected. Meanwhile, his associates would remain busy in looting the house. After completing the task, they would take the stolen items in the same vehicle to their location. Since the vehicle had a government number plate, they were not checked despite the fact that they used to pass through many places where police officials were posted.

Sindh Inspector General (IG) Kaleem Imam lauded the efforts of the Sharae Noor Jahan Police and announced a reward of Rs100,000 for the team. According to a Sindh Police spokesperson, the IG congratulated the District Central senior superintendent (SSP), Sharae Noor Jahan SHO and his team for the successful raid. The IG maintained that he hoped the police would continue to take such measures in the future. Vigilance like this can completely restore the confidence people have in police, he said.

Published in The Express Tribune, October 13th, 2018.

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