Caught red-handed: Three robbers killed in alleged encounter

Law enforcers claim to have arrested 180 criminals on Saturday in separate raids.

KARACHI:

Three suspected robbers were killed during an alleged encounter with the police in North Karachi on Saturday. Their companions, however, managed to escape. 

The encounter reportedly took place in North Karachi’s Sector 3 within the limits of Khawaja Ajmair Nagri police station. According to the police officials, six armed men entered the house and held the family members hostage at a gunpoint. According to the police, the robbers opened fire at the police and they retaliated. As a result, three robbers were killed, while three escaped.

The deceased were later moved to Edhi morgue, Sohrab Goth, from Abbasi Shaheed Hospital.

SHO Aslam said that one robber was identified as 26-year-old Mairaj Khan according to the CNIC found from his possession. The other two have yet to be identified. He also claimed that the police found the looted valuables and three pistols.

Raids continue

Meanwhile, around 30 suspects were detained during targeted raids conducted by Rangers in the city. The raids were conducted in different parts of the city, including Ancholi Society, Lasi Goth, Micasa apartment in Old Sabzi Mandi area, Pakhtunabad, Lasbella Chowrangi, Garden and Gulbahar.

Sources in the Rangers said that political workers were also among the detainees who were believed to be involved in targeted killings in Karachi, adding that a prayer leader of the Noor Masjid, Taj Hanfi, was also among the detainees. He was taken into custody from Ranchore Lane over his suspected links to the outlawed Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan.

In a separate incident, two more suspected members of the banned outfit were apprehended during a raid conducted in Gulshan-e-Zia area of Orangi Town. They were shifted to undisclosed location for further questioning.

The Karachi police also claimed to have apprehended 180 criminals, including 24 absconders, 13 under Arms Ordinance, 65 under Narcotics Ordinance, 14 robbers and one murderer.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 15^th, 2013.