Targeted raids: Four alleged criminals gunned down in different encounters

Gang members attacked SHO after the police killed their comrade in a 'fake' encounter earlier this week

KARACHI: Two suspected gang members were shot dead during ongoing operations and raids against gangs in Lyari while an alleged street criminal was killed in a separate encounter with the police in Surjani Town on Friday.

In Lyari, the gangs who were earlier at war with each other once and have now started targeting law enforcers particularly after Aqeel alias Jadgal was killed in an encounter with the Baghdadi police a couple of days ago in Shah Baig Lane. Aqeel, it is said was associated with the Uzair Baloch group of Lyari gangsters.  As news of his death spread, members from his gang started making the police their target. They even attacked the SHO of the Baghdadi police station, Haq Nawaz, on Thursday and managed to injure four of his men.

Sources in the gang war told The Express Tribune that the police killed Aqeel in a 'fake' encounter. "If they continue to kill our people like this, do they expect us to remain silent," said a source close to the Uzair Baloch group. "Aqeel was arrested first and then killed on the streets."

The police and Rangers have killed several men belonging to the Uzair Baloch and Baba Ladla groups, but the war between the two gangs keeps escalating as they get more involved in extortion.



SHO Nawaz said that gangsters were trying to avenge their comrade's death by attacking the police. "Killing these gangsters is the only solution to ensure that Lyari is crime free," explained the SHO. "This is war. We have to target their commanders."

The Baghdadi police claim to have killed gangster identified as Obaid alias Abba during an alleged encounter in Shah Baig Lane — a stronghold of the Uzair Baloch group's commander Sheraz Comrade, on Friday morning. The police claim that he was also involved in the attack on SHO Nawaz on Thursday. Another gangster was also killed during an encounter with the Kalakot police in Jhatpat Market — a stronghold of Baba Ladla. The alleged gang member was identified as Ramzan alias Umair. He was associated with the Baba Ladla group of Lyari gangsters. The police claimed that he was involved in several criminal cases.

Separately, a suspected street criminal was killed while his accomplice was arrested in an injured condition after an exchange of fire with the police within the jurisdiction of the Surjani police station. The body and injured were taken to Abbasi Shaheed Hospital for the autopsy and treatment. The deceased was identified as Muhammad Ali and his accomplice was identified as Haroon.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 10^th, 2015.