One of city’s 10 headless horsemen off the street

Target killer who tortured, dismembered and beheaded victims caught; torture cell discovered.

KARACHI:

Badaruddin, a target killer notorious for beheading his victims and mutilating their bodies after shooting them, was finally caught by an exultant Special Investigation Unit (SIU) on Sunday.

SSP Raja Umer Khattab and his SIU team caught the 28-year-old after an encounter in Orangi Town in what is being hailed as a major step forward in the police’s fight against murderers hiding behind the banners of major political parties. Khattab and his unit were awarded Rs1 million at the governor house the same evening as a token of appreciation for their catch.

The Pakistan Rangers Sindh also continued their efforts towards cleansing the city and arrested over 10 suspects in two major ‘targeted operations’ at Gizri’s P&T and Korangi’s Zia areas. Evening raids were also conducted in Mauripur area. The Rangers spokesperson was tight-lipped about any big arrests and only said that they would share details soon.

Khattab described Badaruddin as a ‘heartless murderer’. His group’s modus operandi was to kidnap people based on their ethnicity, torture them and finally dismember and decapitate them.

Although Badaruddin was caught, his accomplices Arshad Jamil, Salim Sheikh, Asif Mistri, Kamran alias Mechanic, Imran alias Maindak (frog), Haider Qasba Colony wala, Munna Murghi Wala, Wasim Kala, Ilyas Bhaya Khajji Ground Wala and Nadeem Landhi Wala remain at large. The police are looking for them as well.

Badruddin has confessed to killing three people since August. Two of them were Pathans and one was a Baloch. One of the bodies was found buried, while parts of other bodies were found near Qatar Hospital. Apart from their ethnicity, and confirming that one of them sold fish for a living, the police are having trouble identifying the victims. “In one case the head is missing,” said Khattab, “while in another, the face is mutilated beyond recognition. Almost all of them have missing limbs and arms.” If need be, the police would resort to DNA tests to identify the victims.

A large knife and two TT pistols were seized from the suspect. During interrogation, Badruddin told police of his torture cell in Datanagar’s Shah Jehan Mohalla in Orangi Town.

“The basement of a small house was being used as a torture cell. There was proper staircase with a locked gate that lead towards it,” explained the officer, repulsed. Blood was splattered everywhere.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 19^th,  2011.