Death by encounter: Karachi operation claims one more life, many arrests

Some 40 target killers and extortionists rounded up following raids.

KARACHI:

In the ongoing targeted operation in the city, an alleged gangster was killed in Lyari in an encounter on Saturday. The law enforcers conducted raids in multiple areas, catching at least 40 suspects allegedly involved in target killings and extortion activities.

Javed Bengali was killed in the encounter which took place at the Agra Taj Colony. The gangster has been accused of being associated with the Ustad Taju group in Lyari.

Street criminals, target killers caught

The Special Investigation Unit (SIU) claimed apprehending two alleged extortionists and six suspected street criminals. SIU chief SP Farooq Awan said the two extortionists, Waleed Khan and Mujahid Khan, and  six street criminals, Tahir, Asad, Faizan, Hashim, Syed Haider Ali and Safeer, were arrested in separate raids.

The Clifton division police have claimed to have arrested nine suspects allegedly involved in targeted killings and in possession of hand grenades, submachine guns and pistols. The suspects have been identified as Tariq, Jamil, Sadiq, Amir alias Lakha, Kashif, Farooq and Hidayatullah. DSP Tariq Mughal said all of these suspects were arrested in separate raids in Clifton, Defence, Darakshan and Gizri. The weapons were taken in police custody.

Meanwhile, three men - Fayyaz, his brother Mohammad Aslam and his cousin Khadim Hussain - were arrested for throwing acid on a woman, Nasreen. DSP Mughal told The Express Tribune that Fayyaz was the victim’s former husband, who over family dispute, along with his brother and a cousin, threw acid on his ex-wife.

The Criminal Investigation Agency claimed to have arrested two alleged target killers and an extortionist. DIG CIA Sultan Khawaja said the target killers, Kashif Nafees and Kamran Langra, were affiliated with a political party and were involved in the target killings of rivalry political parties’ members- Awami National Party and Pakistan Peoples Party. The extortionist, Arsalan, was involved in threatening and collecting extortion money from the traders and doctors.

The Rangers conducted raids in Gharibabad, Model Colony, New Karachi, Hyderi Market, Lyari, Korangi Crossing, Shah Faisal Colony, Mehran Town, Quaidabad and Khamosh Colony. According to the Rangers spokesperson, 20 hardened criminals, including Lyari gang war criminals, were arrested while weapons in their possession were seized.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 1^st, 2013.