05 March 2005	Saturday	23 Muharram 1426

KARACHI, March 4: A wanted outlaw was gunned down in an encounter with the police on Friday in Baldia Town. Five of his accomplices managed to escape from the spot, police said.

The outlaw, Siddiq Bucha, was a former activist of the Muttahida Qaumi Movement. He was recently expelled by the party for his alleged involvement in crime, police said.

According to reports, Siddiq Bucha was gunned down behind the Police Training College Saeedabad in an encounter with a team led by DSP Aslam Khan, a key figure of the Karachi operation. The outlaw was wanted in over several dozen cases of murder and dacoity registered in various police stations of the city, TPO Baldia Town Javed Baloch told Dawn.

According to details, police said a police party comprising DSP Aslam Khan and Irfan Bahadur received information that Siddiq Bucha and his accomplices were sitting in a street near a petrol pump near PTC College Saeedabad.

As the police reached the spot, an encounter ensued in which Bucha suffered bullet wounds. He died before he could be shifted to the hospital. However, his five accomplices managed to flee under the cover of heavy gunfire.

The raiding police party also recovered a submachine gun from Bucha's possession, police said. Bucha was a resident of Turk Muhalla, Baldia Town, police said. He was said to be in close liaison these days with Lyari's gangster, Rehman Dakait.