Suspect killed in police ‘encounter’

Capital police say fugitive escaped on Wednesday

ISLAMABAD:

One of the two murder suspects who had escaped from the custody of the capital police on Wednesday was killed in a police encounter on Chamber Road.

According to police sources, the two ‘dangerous detainees’, identified as Mohammad Omer and Sayam, who were involved in serious crimes including murder in the areas of Golra police station and Koral police station, had escaped from the custody of Islamabad police the day before.

The police personnel were transporting the prisoners to Adiala Jail when their accomplices allegedly intercepted the police vehicle at gunpoint near Zia Masjid within the jurisdiction of Khanna police station. The suspects were taken away while still in handcuffs.

However, on Thursday, the police were conducting a search operation to locate the escaped suspects when the police signaled a suspicious vehicle to stop on Chamber Road. However, the occupants of the vehicle opened fire on the police.

Fortunately, the police constable wearing a protective jacket escaped unharmed despite being hit by two bullets. In the ensuing exchange of fire, one of the suspects sustained serious injuries while the other managed to flee.

The injured suspect, identified as Sayam, was taken to the hospital but succumbed to his injuries.

Police sources said Sayam was wanted in several other serious cases, including murder and robbery.

In response to the escape of the suspects from custody, a senior officer of the capital police confirmed that an investigation into the involvement of the concerned police personnel has been initiated.

Furthermore, last month, another wanted dangerous suspect involved in incidents of snatching and armed robbery had escaped from Khanna police station under suspicious circumstances.

According to police sources, the Dolphin Squad of Islamabad Police had apprehended the ‘dangerous suspect’ and handed him over to Khanna police. However, he managed to escape. Similarly, a few days before this incident, a drug dealer named Khairul Bashar, who was arrested by the anti-narcotics police station in a serious narcotics case, escaped from the custody of Islamabad police in the vicinity of Karachi Company while still in handcuffs.

It has been reported that Khairul Bashar was taken from Adiala Jail to PIMS Hospital in G-8 Markaz, Islamabad, for a medical check-up. After the check-up, at the accused's request, he was taken to Tandoori Hotel G-8, from where he escaped along with an unidentified motorcyclist who had been waiting there.

Published in The Express Tribune, July 7^th, 2023.