KARACHI: Six suspects of Afghan origin were killed during an alleged encounter with the police in Sohrab Goth on Monday noon.
The encounter took place near Ganna Mandi on Super Highway. "We were tipped-off about the presence of a group of criminals at an empty plot," said Sohrab Goth DSP Qamar Ahmed. "To avoid the escape of the criminals, we decided to enter the area on private vehicles instead of police vans."
As soon as the police reached close to the criminals' hideout, the suspects resorted to indiscriminate firing and tried to escape. During the police raid, the criminals also attacked the police by hurling a hand grenade; however, no one from the law enforcers' team was hurt in the explosion.
A large number of law enforcers were called in for backup and, after an exchange of fire, six members of the gang were killed while the rest of their members managed to escape.
The bodies were shifted to Abbasi Shaheed Hospital where they were later identified as Tahir, Khudadad, Wali Muhammad, Saleem, Naseebullah and Abdul Hannan - all of whom were of Afghan origin, according to the police. They were aged between 25 and 32 years. After the medico-legal formalities were completed at the hospital, the suspects' bodies were taken to the Edhi morgue.
The police ruled out the possibility of the suspects having links with the Taliban. They said the gang comprises at least 14 members and used to operate in Ganna Mandi and other parts of Sohrab Goth. "They were operating from there for some time but they escalated their criminal activities over the last four months," explained DSP Ahmed. Besides being involved in highway robberies, the group was also involved in a number of cases of short-term kidnappings and rape of women during house robberies.
One of the suspects, Abdul Hannan, was the ringleader of his gang and known as 'Nanay' in the area, said the officer, adding that more than 14 cases were registered against him alone. The police also found Kalashnikovs and repeaters from their possession. The cases were registered and further investigation was underway.
Lyari raid
Meanwhile, an alleged member of the Lyari gang war, who is believed to be involved in more than a dozen cases of murders, was killed during an exchange of fire with the Rangers in Lyari on Sunday night.
The encounter took place in the Saifi Lane area of Lyari, where the Rangers conducted a raid on a tip-off about the presence of the members of Lyari's Jabbar Jhengu gang. According to a Rangers spokesperson, a notorious gangster who was later identified as Muhammad Junaid was killed during the exchange of fire.
Junaid belonged to the Jabbar Jhengu group and was involved in at least 18 cases of murders besides numerous cases of extortion, kidnappings and street crimes. The law enforcers also found weapons from his possession.
Published in The Express Tribune, August 26th, 2014.
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This report is fake and made up. My uncle was one of these so called criminals, was shot next his house. He was a great man and a great father. He had 3 young children and was a respected man and had never been involved in such matters. His name was Khudaidad and they labeled him as a terrorist when infact he was an innocent martyr. May all punish those who killed these poor innocent people to cover up their stories or did it for promotion or to happy some one big. This story is fake. They beat him first and then shot him. My family is now in pain because of these police. I don't know what will his family eat or drink? He was a poor man... :'(