Shoot-out at mall: Woman steps forward to nominate five people in an FIR

Police suspect the kidnapping bid was a personal matter.

KARACHI: With news channels running CCTV footage of the attempted kidnapping at Dolmen Mall, Clifton on Saturday, police have also registered an FIR against four suspects on the complaint of a woman on Sunday.

On complaint of S, an FIR No. 124/13 under Sections 365 (kidnapping), 395 (robbery) and 397 (injuring) of the Pakistan Penal Code was registered at the Boat Basin police station against three men and a woman.

S told the police that she, along with her daughter and son, were about to leave after shopping at the mall when the men and woman tried to take them in their car by using a gun. But upon making a noise, security guards at the mall were alerted to the situation and tried to stop the kidnapping. She said that one of the suspects opened fire because of which her daughter and one of the guards were injured.

Police officials said that they have recognised the suspects and raids are also being conducted but no arrests have been made as yet.

SSP Clifton Nasir Aftab confirmed that the police know the identities of the kidnappers but cannot share them until they are arrested.

“The suspects are not from high-profile families and have no political or feudal background. The moment they are arrested, we will share their identities,” SSP Aftab told The Express Tribune. “The victims are also not high-profile. The initial investigation suggests that it was definitely attempted kidnapping, but not for ransom.”

He added that the suspects were not residents of Defence or Clifton and the motive behind the incident seemed to be personal. “We do not want to alert the suspects by disclosing their identities. We have been conducting raids and will continue to do so - they will be arrested soon.”

S and her kids have moved to an undisclosed location. Upon contact, S’s family said that they are fully cooperating with the police and do not want to disclose any information to the media till the matter is resolved.

Published in The Express Tribune, March 4^th, 2013.