Youngster killed over Rs20,000 mobile phone, killers shot dead by unidentified gunmen

A young man was brutally killed over a Rs20,000 mobile phone in Peshawar’s Shaheedabad area, leaving the city in shock. The swift and technology-driven response by Peshawar Police brought the culprits to justice.

On January 2, a young man named Shahzaib, a resident of Shaheedabad, was targeted by snatchers near his home. When he resisted, the assailants opened fire, fatally shooting him, and fled the scene. The victim’s father, Murtaza, filed a case at Pushtkhara Police Station.

Following the incident, Peshawar CCPO Dr Mian Saeed Ahmed and SSP Operations Farhan Khan issued strict directives for immediate arrests. Under the supervision of SP Cantt Division Abdullah Ehsan, a special investigation team led by Pushtkhara DSP Umar Afridi and SHO Iftikhar Ahmed was formed to investigate the case using modern technology and scientific methods.

The police successfully apprehended two suspects, Saeedullah and Shahzaib, who confessed to the murder as well as multiple other violent crimes during interrogation. While taking the suspects to the Shaheedabad area to identify the crime scene, unknown motorcyclists opened fire on the police team near a cemetery.

The police personnel remained unharmed, but both suspects were killed on the spot due to gunfire, while the attackers managed to flee. DSP Afridi, accompanied by a heavy contingent, reached the scene immediately to collect crucial evidence and launched a search operation in the area. Checkpoints have been set up at all major entry and exit points of the city, and security checks are ongoing.

Cantt SP Ehsan confirmed to The Express Tribune that the deceased suspects were indeed the same individuals responsible for Shahzaib’s murder on January 2. He described the case as a tragic loss for the victim’s family and a stark reminder of the rising street crime, while also highlighting the police’s investigative capabilities, use of technology, and law enforcement efficiency.