Conflicting reports: Alleged target killer shot dead in ‘police encounter’

Relatives of the deceased term it an extrajudicial killing, protest on Mansehra Road.

MANSEHRA:

Police on Friday claimed to have shot dead an alleged target killer, who was wanted by Karachi police in different cases. Relatives of the deceased, however, termed it an extrajudicial killing and protested against the police on Mansehra Road.

Shinkiari police said Siraj, son of Muhammad Taj, a resident of village Banda Ghesacha Jabori, had been living in Karachi for the past several years. They added he was affiliated with a criminal gang and involved in several cases of target killing and extortion. When the recent crackdown was launched in Karachi, Siraj fled back to his village, where he was also involved in criminal activities.

Acting on an intelligence tip-off about Siraj’s whereabouts, a police party raided Banda Ghesacha Jabori village, where they claim Siraj opened fire at them. When the police returned fire, the alleged criminal was shot dead while two of his accomplices managed to flee.

However, Siraj’s family contested the police account and said he had not been involved in any criminal activity. His relatives claim the police tricked Siraj into meeting them, and no sooner had he appeared that they opened fire and killed him on the spot. Siraj’s family members took his body to Mansehra Road, where they blocked traffic for about an hour and protested, what they called, the extrajudicial killing of their son.

Published in The Express Tribune, July 5^th, 2014.