Clashes continue: Three Lyari gangsters killed in two ‘encounters’

LEAs cordon off Ladla’s strongholds for third consecutive day.

KARACHI:

Three suspected gangsters were killed during two alleged encounters when law enforcers were trying to cordon off the strongholds of Lyari’s notorious gangster Noor Muhammad alias Baba Ladla for the third consecutive day on Monday.

Ladla’s strongholds, including Dubai Chowk, Phool Patti Lane, Shah Baig Lane and Bihar Colony, have been surrounded by the police and Rangers for the last three days. The law enforcers had started to cordon off Ladla’s strongholds following the killing of a police constable, Muhammad Essa, and injuries to a head constable, Asad Mehmood, allegedly by Ladla’s men on Saturday.

The policemen were trying to enter Ladla’s stronghold on an armoured personnel carrier to conduct an operation when they came under attack.

“Our focus is on the gangsters of both the groups - Baba Ladla and Uzair Baloch - but Ladla and his men are our priority,” said Lyari DSP Shakeel Ahmed, while talking to The Express Tribune. He said that Ladla’s men had killed their colleague but now the ball was in their court and they would bring the culprits to book and will not leave Uzair’s accomplices alone.



Sources told The Express Tribune that the three gangsters - Sarfaraz Ahmed, Wajid and Yasir - were killed during two raids at the gangsters’ hideouts. On seeing the officials, the gangsters opened fire. In retaliation, the police also fired back, resulting in the killing of the criminals on the spot. The bodies were taken to Civil Hospital, Karachi, for autopsies and later handed over to their families.

Sources said that Sarfaraz and Wajid were associated with the Faisal Pathan group and were killed by the police in Gulistan Colony - the stronghold of Faisal Pathan, the chief operational commander of Uzair Baloch gang. Yasir, who was associated with the Baba Ladla gang, was killed by the police in Dubai Chowk of Lyari. According to law enforcers, the deceased gangsters were involved in various cases of crime.

Since the killing of the policeman, at least seven alleged gangsters have been gunned down in separate encounters with the law enforcers in Lyari. Four gangsters were associated with the Faisal Pathan group and the remaining three were linked with the Baba Ladla gang. Law enforcers continue, however, to surround the gangsters’ stronghold areas and conduct search operations and targeted raids. Despite all the efforts by the law enforcers, the gang war between both the groups continues and many of the affected residents are confined to their homes.

“Since Muharram 9, there is a surge in the clash between the two groups and we are unable to step out of our homes,” said a resident of the Ali Muhammad Muhalla - one of the worst affected areas in Lyari.

“On one hand, our lives are at stake if we step out of our homes and, on the other, our lives are again at risk if the law enforcers target us over the suspicion of being gangsters.” The residents have appealed to the government and law-enforcement agencies to speed up the action against the groups so that they can live without fear.

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