Another escape: Wanted killer flees police raid

Five accomplices who were later arrested kept the police at bay by firing at them.

ISLAMABAD:

Wanted in at least two cases of murder and attempted murder including one for nearly beating his mother to death, Khurrum Lahori once again defied law enforcement’s attempt to arrest him.

Early on Friday, dozens of police personnel and commandoes raided Lahori’s hideout in his hometown of Alipur Shayan, a village in the city outskirts. “The raid was carried out on tips that he was hiding in his hometown,” said a Koral police official who was part of the raiding party.

When the police reached the spot, they surrounded his hideout and asked him to surrender. Finding no way out, Lahori and his associates opened fire at the raiding party.

After a few subsequent warnings to the absconder to stop fire and surrender, the police party returned fire. However, the suspected robbers kept the police from entering the house where they were hiding by continuing heavy fire from multiple points.

“They were equipped with modern weapons and a large quantity of ammunition,” the official added.

After an hour-long exchange of fire, the Koral police called for reinforcements including the Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS).

“Every time police officials tried to enter the house, they were fired upon,” he said.

The exchange of fire continued for over three hours before the police finally managed to enter the building. They arrested five men, but Lahori had fled by then. The nabbed men told the police that Lahori escaped when firing started while his accomplices kept the police distracted.

Another official said that the police also recovered guns and ammunition from the building where Lahori and his accomplices were hiding. “Chief of the Koral police suffered extreme exhaustion during the raid and had to be shifted to hospital after complaining of dehydration,” he added.

Lahori was a court absconder and was wanted by the Koral police in two cases. He killed Mubashir Hafeez, a resident of Alipur Nayi Abadi, in January this year. A murder case had been registered against him in the Koral Police Station on January 13.

Police sources said he was also wanted in an attempted murder case of thrashing his mother after she asked him to give up his life of crime.

The arrested men were identified as Malik Zeeshan, Malik Faizan, Muhammad Khurshid, Amir Nawaz and Muhammad Ayaz. They were booked for firing on the police and helping an absconder to escape. The investigations were underway to locate Lahori.

Published In The Express Tribune, June 23^rd, 2012.