Abduction: Two suspects killed in a bid to recover kidnapped trader

Extortionist Bholo Qureshi killed in encounter on Northern Bypass.

KARACHI: Two alleged members of a banned outfit were killed during an encounter on Monday, when the law enforcers were trying to recover an abducted trader.

On October 25, the 40-year-old victim, Amanullah, was kidnapped from near from his residence in the Bilal Colony area of Korangi Industrial Area. Amanullah used to run his own medical store near his house and was also associated with the transport business.

Soon after he went missing, the kidnappers called the family and demanded Rs25 million as ransom. After long negotiations, the kidnappers agreed to receive Rs6 million as ransom and told Amanullah’s family to pay the amount by Monday evening. Meanwhile, the Citizens-Police Liaison Committee helped the police and Rangers trace the kidnappers’ hideout and launched a joint operation before the kidnappers’ deadline.

According to a Rangers spokesperson, the suspects were identified as Shah Bakht and Akbar Khan and their bodies were shifted to the Edhi morgue. When the police and Rangers entered the hideout, they found Amanullah tied with chains. He was rescued from the hideout and handed over to his family.

Though the law enforcers claimed that the deceased kidnappers were associated with a banned outfit, they were unable to confirm which group of militants they belonged to. “We are still trying to ascertain their affiliation,” admitted Baldia Town SP Malik Mohammad Ehsan. “The good thing is that we saved the life of an abductee by recovering him safely from the kidnappers’ captivity.”

Extortionist killed

An alleged extortionist, Riazuddin aka Raajuddin aka Bholo Qureshi, was killed in an alleged encounter with the police. According to officials of the Special Investigation Unit, the encounter took place when the deceased was on his way to Hub on a motorcycle and was passing through the Northern Bypass. “We had a tip-off about his movement,” said SIU chief SP Farooq Awan. “His companion on another motorcycle was also accompanied by him but he managed to escape under the cover of firing.”

Published in The Express Tribune, November 19^th, 2013.