Robbery suspect injured, nabbed in ‘encounter’

SITE A-Section's investigation police claimed on Tuesday to have arrested a robber, allegedly after an encounter, in the limits of Orangi Town Police Station in the wee hours of Tuesday.

The robbery suspect, identified as 35-year-old Ishtiaq alias Mama, a former police constable, was arrested in injured condition.

Besides, a citizen, identified as Gul Karim, 45, was wounded in firing during the said encounter.

Both the injured were shifted to Abbasi Shaheed Hospital, from where they were referred to Dr Ruth Pfau Civil Hospital.

According to SITE A-Section SHO inspector Muhammad Ayaz Khan, Ishtiaq looted Rs1.2 million from a textile mills' employee on July 3. Following this, a case against Ishtiaq and his accomplices was registered at SITE-A Police Station, he said.

The SHO related that police had received a tip-off about Ishtiaq hiding in a shop in Orangi Town, following which they conducted a raid in the area. On seeing police, Ishtiaq opened fire on them and sustained two wounds in retaliatory firing, he added.

However, it is yet to be determined whether Karim was injured in crossfire between police and the arrested robbery suspect, the SHO maintained.

On the other hand, Orangi Town Police Station duty officer sub-inspector Afzal claimed that no signs of crossfire were found from the place of the arrest and termed it "mysterious."

He further said that the police party from SITE A-Section Police had not informed them of the raid in the area, as was required under the law, adding that Orangi Town Police came to know about the incident through the media.

Meanwhile, Ishtiaq's condition was declared critical by doctors at Dr Ruth Pfau Civil Hospital.

According to sources at the hospital, police officials were told that the arrested suspect needed to undergo a surgery and required at least 4 bottles of blood in order to survive, but they made no arrangements in this regard.

Published in The Express Tribune, July 22^nd, 2020.