Suspect in fatal shooting killed
The body of one of the suspects said to be responsible for a fatal shooting in which a policeman was also injured was found dead under the bridge at Gawalmandi, police said on Sunday.
Police added that the mobile phone and wallet of the citizen who was killed during the armed robbery near Liaqauat Bagh was found in possession of the dead suspect. They added that they were searching for his accomplice.
The incident occurred on Saturday during an armed robbery at a petrol station. During the robbery, the accused shot Mudassir, a 25-year-old who works at a call centre.
A constable who was passing by intervened and tried to overpower the accused. They shot him as well before fleeing the scene.
The injured were taken to a hospital where Mudassir succumbed to his injuries. The injured policeman was under treatment and said to be out of danger.
Following the incident, there were initial reports of an arrest. But the police clarified that one of the two robbers, identified as Sajid Iqbal alias Babu, who had managed to escape from the scene with injuries, had been found dead.
Additionally, the stolen mobile phone and wallet from the citizen targeted in the robbery last night were recovered from him.
Police said Iqbal had a criminal history, with convictions in multiple cases of robbery, illegal possession of firearms, and drug-related offenses in Rawalpindi and various other districts. The constable injured in the incident had also identified him as one of the robbers.
The Rawalpindi city police chief, Khalid Hamdani, visited the constable at the Benazir Bhutto Hospital (BBH) and lauded him for his bravery.
He also asked the hospital administration to ensure the policeman was provided the ‘best possible’ medical care.
Hamdani said policeman like the constable were a valuable resource for the Rawalpindi police in their fight against criminal elements. He said that the other suspect in the shooting, who was still at large, would be arrested soon.
Published in The Express Tribune, September 4th, 2023.