‘Celebratory’ shots: Aerial firing claims three lives, leaves several more injured

HYDERABAD/KARACHI:

As a consequence of the aerial firing that ensued on the eve of Independence Day, one death was reported from Karachi, while two others were reported from different parts of Sindh. More than two dozen people were injured in Karachi while another sustained wounds in Mirpurkhas.

In the Saeedabad area of Baldia Town, a teenager lost his life when a stray bullet hit and killed him as people resorted to indiscriminate aerial firing. The deceased was identified as 15-year-old Amir Khan, son of Wali Khan. The body was taken to Civil Hospital, Karachi, from where his family took it away without fulfilling the medico-legal formalities.

Madina Colony police station SHO Amjad Kayani confirmed the killing.  He said that initially, it was reported that he was killed in an act of targeted killing as he was sitting outside his house. However, it was later learnt that a stray bullet hit and killed him. Kayani further added that the family of the deceased refused to register an FIR.

The Pinyari police reported that Khalid Qureshi, 50, was hit by a stray bullet on Wednesday night while he was sleeping on the rooftop of his house. He was shifted to Civil Hospital, Hyderabad, where he died on Thursday.

Two men were injured in the Kunri town of Mirpurkhas. One of them, Kashif Ali, succumbed to his injuries. Similarly, revelers in Saddar, Nazimabad, North Nazimabad, Gulberg, Gulshan, Malir, Gulistan-e-Jauhar resorted to aerial firing at midnight to mark their jubilance on Independence Day in Karachi. As a result, more than two dozen people, including women and children, sustained injuries. They were shifted to Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre, Civil Hospital, Karachi, Abbasi Shaheed Hospital and various private hospitals.

The police and Rangers claim to have arrested over 30,000 suspects during the 11-month-long Karachi operation. The aerial firing took place despite the fact that section 144 was imposed in Karachi.

Attack on police mobile van

Meanwhile, some explosive material hit a police mobile van in District Central on Thursday. ASI Raheem Buksh of the North Nazimabad police station was wounded when some explosive material hit the van stationed outside an imambargah, located on Five Star Chowrangi in North Nazimabad. The injured officer was immediately taken to Abbasi Shaheed Hospital for treatment.

Published in The Express Tribune, August 15^th,2014.