Raids and encounters: Target killer shot dead

Four suspects, including a member of a Baloch nationalist party, were also arrested during raids

KARACHI:

An alleged gang member and target killer from Lyari was killed during an encounter with the Rangers, while four suspects, including a member of a Baloch nationalist party, were apprehended during raids in various parts of the metropolis on Friday.

An alleged gang member was killed during an encounter with the paramilitary force in the Tughlaq Lane area of Lyari in the night between Thursday and Friday. A Rangers spokesperson said that on seeing the Rangers, the gang members resorted to indiscriminate fire in an attempt to escape.

The Rangers fired in retaliation, killing one of the suspects while his accomplices fled.

The body was taken to Civil Hospital, Karachi, for an autopsy, where he was identified as Mansoor Nadeem. The Rangers spokesperson said that Nadeem was associated with the Uzair Baloch gang, and was involved in at least seven cases of target killing as well as a number of incidents of robbery, extortion and kidnapping for ransom. Weapons were also seized from his possession.



Meanwhile, an alleged member of the Baloch Liberation Army, identified as Owais Baloch, was apprehended during a raid conducted by intelligence agencies in the Garden area.

Earlier, the Rangers claimed to have arrested two alleged criminals, including a target killer affiliated with a political party, during a targeted raid carried out in North Nazimabad. The suspects were shifted to an undisclosed location for further questioning.

Separately, the Citizens-Police Liaison Committee (CPLC), working with the Anti-Violent Crime Cell (AVCC), claimed to have rescued nine-year-old Nabeel from the captivity of kidnappers. The boy was abducted on October 14 from the Korangi area, after which his family received a ransom call. A CPLC spokesperson said that the kidnappers had demanded Rs20 million for the child's release, warning of dire consequences if the family went to the police.

He added that the family approached the CPLC, after which the CPLC team started working on the case. "As we worked, the kidnappers grew fearful and left the boy on a road," he claimed, saying that the child managed to return home with the help of the police. He said that the CPLC later apprehended one kidnapper, identified as Adeel, during a raid, and was striving to find his accomplices.

Published in The Express Tribune, October 18^th, 2014.