Cop gunned down after confronting robbers
PHOTO: FILE
A police official and a robber were shot dead in an encounter in Karimabad late on Sunday night.
Head constable Fayyaz, 40, reportedly confronted two suspects on his own when he saw them looting a citizen outside the ATM of a private bank. The subsequent exchange of fire left one of the suspects dead on the spot while Fayyaz sustained severe injuries. Meanwhile, the other robber managed to flee the scene.
The deceased suspect and wounded cop were rushed to Abbasi Shaheed Hospital (ASH) for medico-legal formalities and treatment, respectively. However, Fayyaz succumbed to his injuries later while being shifted to a private hospital at Stadium Road. His body was brought back to ASH for medico-legal formalities.
Talking to the media at ASH, Fayyaz's brother-in-law, Irfan Ali, levelled allegations that the slain police official had not been provided any medical aid when he was initially brought to the health facility. He claimed that Fayyaz had not even been provided oxygen and was instead referred to the private hospital, with the delays causing his death.
However, the Karachi Police rejected Ali's accusations, stating that the rumours about non-provision of immediate treatment to the injured official were false.
According to a Karachi Police spokesperson, Fayyaz was on his way from home to the police station for duty when he encountered the robbers, which was why he was alone and not in uniform at the time.
The spokesperson added that Fayyaz had been shifted to ASH by bystanders, while the police attempted to take him to a private hospital as soon as they were informed about the incident, but he could not survive his injuries.
Meanwhile, Sindh police chief Mushtaq Ahmed Mahar took notice of the incident and sought a report from the Central SSP and West DIG.
A case pertaining to the incident was registered later on Monday, on behalf of looted citizen Ahsan Hussain, against the deceased robber and his escaped accomplice.
According to Central SSP Arif Aslam Rao, Fayyaz was deputed at the Azizabad police station and was on his way to work when he witnessed the robbery attempt and took action.
According to Rao, Hussain told the police he was going to have dinner with his friends in Hussainabad when two robbers intercepted him outside the ATM booth, where he had stopped to withdraw money. He said in the statement that Fayyaz came to his rescue when the robbers attempted to loot him.
Fayyaz's funeral prayers were offered at the Garden Police Headquarters after which he was laid to rest at the Khamosh Colony graveyard. Mahar, acting Karachi AIG Arif Hanif, other senior law enforcement officials, and family members attended the funeral.
The slain cop, who hailed from Mardan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, was recruited to the police department in 1999 after his brother Mumtaz, also a policeman, died in the line of duty. He is survived by a widow and three children.
Published in The Express Tribune, November 10th, 2020.