Three 'gang members' among seven suspects killed

The paramilitary force conducted an overnight targeted raid based on info from a previously apprehended kidnapper

KARACHI: Three alleged gang members and two kidnappers were among seven suspects killed during on-going targeted raids and operations by the police and Rangers while three alleged militants were arrested on Sunday.

A day after the Rangers killed five suspected gang members during a series of operations in Lyari, three more were killed there in an alleged police encounter. Police officials claimed that the encounter took place when they raided a hideout in Jatoi Para in Baghdadi on a tip-off. They said that the suspects opened fire while the police were cordoning off the area, adding that three gang members were killed in the resultant exchange of fire.

The bodies were taken to Civil Hospital, Karachi, for autopsy, where they were identified as Abdul Rehman, Subhan and Ali Shan. Baghdadi SHO Rao Shabbir said that it has yet to be ascertained which gang they were associated with but claimed that they were involved in over 30 cases of crime, including murder, attempted murder, kidnapping and extortion. He said that a large cache of weapons was also seized from their possession. The cases were registered and further investigation is underway.

Separately, two alleged kidnappers were killed in an exchange of fire with the Rangers in Liaquatabad. According to a Rangers spokesperson, the paramilitary force conducted an overnight targeted raid based on information from a previously apprehended kidnapper, Ziarat Gul. The suspects opened fire upon seeing the Rangers while Gul tried to escape. He was injured in the crossfire and later died. Another suspect, later identified as Amir, was also killed while his accomplice managed to flee. The spokesperson said that the gang, active in SITE, was involved in numerous cases of kidnapping for ransom. He added that weapons were also confiscated.

On Saturday night, two suspected criminals were killed during two separate encounters with the law enforcement agencies in Nazimabad and Sohrab Goth. The bodies were shifted to the Edhi morgue in Sohrab Goth for identification. The law enforcers also claimed to have recovered weapons from their possession.

Meanwhile, three suspected militants were apprehended by the Rangers during targeted raids in Gulshan-e-Ghazi, Pathan Colony and Qasba Colony. A Rangers spokesperson said that three militants affiliated with a banned outfit were arrested while weapons and hate literature were also recovered from their possession. The suspects were moved to an undisclosed location for further questioning.