Behind bars: Wanted dacoit shot dead in ‘encounter’

Six suspected criminals arrested by law enforcers in different parts of the city

KARACHI: One of Sindh's most-wanted dacoits, Qalandar Buksh alias Qalandaro, was gunned down in an alleged encounter with the police on Sharae Faisal.

At a press conference on Monday, District East SSP Pir Muhammad Shah claimed that the dacoit was wanted by the police for crimes in different parts of the province. His name had been placed on the list of high-profile criminals by the government of Sindh. They had also proposed to put Rs2,000,000 as head money for anyone who caught him dead or alive.

According to the police, he was wanted in several murder, attempt to murder and kidnapping for ransom cases. Several raids had been carried out to arrest the alleged criminal but he managed to escape every time the authorities were on his tail.

This time, said the SSP, they managed to conduct a raid on a tip-off about his presence in the Sharae Faisal area. Three of Qalandaro's companions managed to escape under the cover of fire while he was shot dead in an exchange of fire with the police.

Arrests

While talking to the media, SSP Shah also announced that a man involved in several target killing cases had been arrested. The accused was identified as Muhammad Ayub, son of Hashim, and a resident of Lyari. He was arrested by the Aziz Bhatti police. The officer claimed that Ayub had confessed to having killed five political workers in Baghdadi and Risala areas of Lyari. He also confessed of being involved in extortion in Pan Mandi near Napier Road.

According to the SPP, two men were also arrested by District East's Special Investigation Team. The suspects were identified as Sharjil Masih and Fayyaz Chandio. SSP Shah claimed that the men were involved in more than 30 street crime cases and had confessed to the murder of ASI Abdul Ghani of the Airport Security Force in a robbery bid in Gulistan-e-Jauhar this year.

In an unrelated incident, an alleged target killer was shot dead in an encounter with the SITE police near the Hub River Road. The police said that the culprits opened fire at the police as they approached their hideout. The police fired back and managed to kill one of the men. The deceased was identified as Imran alias Kala Tamatar, a resident of Orangi Town. SHO Muhammad Maqbool said that Imran was wanted in several target killing and extortion cases.

Encounters

The Sharae Noor Jahan police claim to have arrested a man identified as Saddam Shaikh and his accomplice, Azmat, during an encounter. They also claimed to have recovered weapons from their possession. In another raid, a man identified as Mukhtiar Munir was arrested after an exchange of fire with the police within the limits of the Taimuria police station. The police also claimed to have recovered weapons from his possession.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 11^th, 2014.