Three suspects killed in police ‘encounters’

Separately, friends of arrested men accuse police of covering up their 'incompetence'

The police claimed on Thursday to have killed three suspects in separate encounters, while arresting two others in yet another encounter.

Two robbers riding a motorcycle reportedly opened fire on a citizen for offering resistance during a looting bid in Sachal Goth, leaving him injured.

According to East SSP Sajid Sadozai, the police were informed and arrived on the spot, but when the suspects saw them, they attempted to flee under cover of fire. As a result, a police official, Israr, was injured.

The police team chased down the alleged robbers and exchanged fire with them, gunning them down near Super Highway, he narrated. Sadozai further stated that weapons, a motorcycle and the stolen mobile phone were recovered from their possession.

The bodies were shifted to the Abbasi Shaheed Hospital for medico-legal formalities. The deceased were identified as Amir and Subhan.

In another alleged encounter, New Karachi Industrial Area Police claimed to have killed a robber and recovered weapons from his possession. A police officer was also injured in the exchange of fire.

According to the police, ASI Mazhar Ali was patrolling with his team when he flagged down two suspicious motorcyclists.

They claimed the suspects opened fire on the police, injuring a policeman as they attempted to flee, adding that the police retaliated. Consequently, one of the suspects was killed while his companion managed to escape. The deceased could not immediately be identified.

'Negligence'

Separately, the Sohrab Goth police claimed to have arrested two suspects, one of whom was injured, after an alleged encounter on Super Highway.

However, friends of the arrested men claimed the police had termed it an encounter to cover up their 'negligence.'

The police arrested the injured suspect, Humayun Murtaza, and his accomplice, Shoaib, claiming to have seized a pistol and a motorcycle from their possession.

Soon after the incident, four of Humayun and Shoaib's friends reached the Sohrab Goth police station, where they made a video detailing the incident.

In the video, which went viral on social media, they claimed they had gone to Khan Sahab Hotel for dinner and on the way back, the police flagged down the arrested men at a picket, but they instead accelerated.

As a result, they stated, the police chased their friends and shot at them, later taking them toThree suspects killed in police ‘encounters’ the police station and closing the gate.

The friends claimed they stood outside for several hours but the police did not allow them to enter. Stating that the police had termed the incident an encounter to hide their incompetence, they presented photos and their dinner bill as evidence.

Meanwhile, the police stated that the suspects had fled upon being stopped and were arrested after an encounter. They added that the arrested men had dumped their weapons during the chase.

The incident is being investigated.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 11^th, 2020.