Foiled: Security guard guns down robber at AKUH

The suspect shot and injured one guard in an attempt to steal around Rs6.2 million in cash

KARACHI: A robbery attempt was foiled by a private security guard who shot dead a robber at the Aga Khan University Hospital (AKUH) on Wednesday evening.

The incident took place when a cash van belonging to private security company Phoenix reached the hospital premises. As the security guards took out a bag containing cash from the van, an armed man attempted to snatch it from them.

“When the suspect attempted to snatch the bad, one of the security guards offered resistance and was shot by him,” New Town DSP Nasir Lodhi told The Express Tribune. “The second guard pulled out his gun and shot the robber in the head, killing him on the spot.” The officer said that the armoured van had arrived to refill an ATM installed on the hospital premises, adding that the bag contained around Rs6.2 million in cash.

The injured guard, who was shot in the abdomen, was admitted to the hospital, while the body of the robber was taken to Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre for autopsy. The police seized a 9mm pistol from the possession of the suspect, who has yet to be identified.

DSP Lodhi said that it was unclear if the suspect was acting alone or had an accomplice on back-up, adding that the police was trying to find this out with the help of CCTV cameras installed at the hospital.