One of the apprehended men is a notorious extortionist. PHOTO: FILE
The four alleged criminals were killed during three separate encounters.
The Quaidabad police said that two criminals were killed near the Muzaffarabad graveyard. According to the police, the two criminals were injured in an exchange of fire. They were being shifted to Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre but died on the way.
SHO Amanullah Marwat said that the encounter took place when police personnel were conducting routine snap-checks in the area. The police tried to stop the two suspects, who were riding a motorcycle, due to their 'suspicious' appearance.
The culprits, who initially stopped the motorcycle, then opened fire at the police and tried to escape under its cover. The police fired back in retaliation, in which the two were injured. SHO Marwat said that two pistols and a motorcycle were also recovered from their possession. However, the deceased have yet to be identified, while their bodies were moved to the Edhi morgue in Sohrab Goth for identification.
Similarly, another suspected criminal was killed when he, along with his companion, was trying to flee after robbing a shop in Shah Latif's Agha Town. SHO Aslam Niazi claimed that police personnel arrived at the site while they were patrolling the area and managed to kill one of the robbers after they exchanged fire. However, he added, the second robber managed to escape under the cover of firing. The body of the deceased was moved to the Edhi morgue for identification.
In another encounter, an alleged criminal was killed and two others were arrested by the police in the New Karachi Industrial Area. Police officials said that the deceased, accompanied by his companions, was looting people near a bus stand when the encounter took place. The officials added that during the encounter, one of the robbers was killed and two of his companions were arrested, while weapons were also recovered from their possession.
Extortionist held
Meanwhile, the SIU police, in collaboration with the Citizens-Police Liaison Committee (CPLC) claimed to have apprehended an alleged extortionist, Sohail Ahmed aka Zuberi. SIU chief SP Farooq Awan, while addressing a press conference at his office, claimed that the accused was arrested during a raid conducted on a tip-off in Korangi. "He is the employee of a private insurance company," said SP Awan. "He managed to obtain the data of several high profile businessmen since he works at an insurance firm. He uses the data to threaten and demand extortion money."
SP Awan added that the accused sent threatening letters through a post office at the offices and residences of various businessmen and collected the extortion money through wire transfer. He also claimed to have recovered SIM cards used in the extortion cases and a pistol from the possession of the accused.
CPLC chief Ahmed Chinoy also confirmed that the accused was involved in various cases of extortion from various high-profile professionals. Chinoy said that he had constituted a team to work on the case in November of last year. "The extortionist had sent over 100 threatening letters and had extorted money from 29 innocent citizens," he explained.
In another raid, the Sher Shah police claimed to have apprehended a suspect, Daniyal, during snap checking. The suspect was allegedly involved in various cases of street crimes. However, they added that his companion managed to escape.
Published in The Express Tribune, June 7th, 2014.
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