News in brief: Karachi

Here's what happened in the city

KARACHI:

Citizens booked for threatening KE officials 

Several citizens were booked by the Gulistan-e-Jauhar police on Sunday, for allegedly threatening K-Electric (KE) staff the previous week. On June 28, a citizen, Ashraf, had allegedly led gathered area residents in barring a KE team from working while they were disconnecting illegal connections. Following this, a case was registered on behalf of the KE officials under the Telegraph Act, 1885, as well as Sections 506, 504, 147 and 149 of the Pakistan Penal Code, pertaining to intimidation and rioting. According to the FIR, the KE team had been removing illegal connections to avoid any loss of life during the upcoming monsoon season when Ashraf and others attempted to stop them, abusing the workers and threatening to kill them. The FIR claims that Ashraf also gave death threats to the petitioner on phone on Wednesday. While the police raided Ashraf’s house to arrest him, he had already fled. 

Pedestrian killed by speeding car

A pedestrian was killed being hit by a speeding car near the Habib Bank Flyover in SITE on Sunday. The body was shifted to Abbasi Shaheed Hospital for medico-legal formalities, where the deceased was declared to be around 50 years old. However, he could not immediately be identified. The body was later shifted to a morgue. Separately, a motorcyclist, 20-year-old Saqib, was critically injured in a collision with a speeding car near Sakhi Hassan Chowrangi. He was taken to Abbasi Shaheed Hospital for treatment. Saqib reportedly sustained severe injuries to his head and upper body. 

Cracker bomb found in empty school

An unexploded cracker bomb was found in an empty school building near Dhabeji Chowk in Manghopir on Sunday. According to Manghopir SHO Younus Khattak, the school building had long been vacant and was recently purchased by a citizen. He added that the new owner was visiting the building with labourers to begin construction work when one of the labourers found a ball-like object in a classroom. Khattak said the bomb disposal squad informed the police after examining the object that it was a locally made cracker bomb. He added that the area was immediately sealed and the cracker bomb was defused on a nearby hill. 

Three murder suspects nabbed in joint raid

KARACHI. The Rangers and police claimed on Sunday to have arrested three men on charges of gunning down a shopkeeper in Qasba colony. According to the Rangers, one of the suspects, Ashar, was arrested during a joint raid carried out on a tip-off and his accomplices, Arsalan alias Kala and Asghar Khan, were later arrested from Jutland Lines and Qasba Colony, respectively. The arrested suspects reportedly confessed to their involvement in multiple robberies and murders. They had also allegedly shot dead shopkeeper Sabir Khan on June 8, for which a case was registered against them at Pirabad police station. According to a Rangers spokesperson, they have been handed over to the police for further action. 

Govt appoints new West DC

The Sindh government issued an official notification for the removal of Fayaz Alam Solangi from the post of deputy commissioner in Karachi’s West district on Sunday. According to the notification, Saleemuddin Odho, who is a Grade 18 official, has been appointed as the new DC. 

Man electrocuted to death

A young man was killed after being electrocuted while working at a private pharmaceutical factory in Baldia Town sector 2 on Sunday. The body was shifted to Dr Ruth Pfau Civil Hospital Karachi for medico-legal formalities. The deceased was identified as 25-year-old Irfanullah. 

Man ‘commits suicide’

A 23-year-old man allegedly committed suicide by hanging himself in a house in Roshanabad on Sunday. The police shifted the body to Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre for medico-legal formalities. According to Shah Faisal Colony SHO Chaudhry Sikandar, the body was found hanging from the ceiling fan of a room on the house’s rooftop. He said the deceased’s mother told the police that her son used to sleep in the room where he was found. Sikander 

added that while the reason behind the suicide could not immediately be ascertained, further investigation was under way. OUR CORRESPONDENT