Alleged encounter: Notorious criminal Bhalu injured in gang war, still on the run

Mehfoozullah alias Bhalu supposedly enjoys ties with the outlawed TTP.

KARACHI: A most-wanted criminal, Mehfoozullah alias Bhalu, was reportedly wounded and his close aide was killed in Kati Pahari locality of Orangi Town on Monday.

The alleged criminal, Bhalu, has been involved in several cases of terrorism and crime, including, attacking and killing the law enforcers, targeted killing, grenade and cracker attackers, police encounter, extortion and narcotics. He reportedly operates his terror and criminal activities from his hideout in Kati Pahari, however, law enforcement agencies and paramilitary force remain unsuccessful in arresting him despite several raids conducted against him in the past.

The accused Bhalu is a former member of a Pashtun-based political party but the party had terminated him following his pursuit of terror and criminal activities. He has been operating his own gang and supposedly enjoys ties with the outlawed Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan.

Sources privy to the matter told The Express Tribune that Bhalu and his cohort came under attack by their rival group members resulting in a gun battle, which led to Bhalu’s critically injury and his aide’s death.

Meanwhile, the police took credit of the incident and claimed that Bhalu was injured in an encounter with them. “Bhalu was injured by our men firing in an encounter,” Orangi division SP Chaudhry Asad claimed, while talking to The Express Tribune. “But we have yet to arrest him and recover his companion’s body as their group members took them away while fleeing from the scene.”

SP Asad further alleged that the encounter had taken near Parachi graveyard, Orangi Town, within the limits of Pirabad police station, adding that police was searching the government and private hospitals for Bhalu. The case has not been registered, while further probe is underway.

Published in The Express Tribune, July 30^th, 2013.