KARACHI, May 23: A suspected robber was killed and his accomplice arrested on Wednesday in a shootout with police in Gulshan-i-Iqbal. Police said two robbers scaled the boundary wall of the house of Masoodul Hasnain, an engineer in a private concern, in Block 1 at around 7.30am.

They said the neighbour of Mr Hasnain informed the police as the robbers collected cash, jewellery and cellular phones from the victim’s house.

Area SHO Dost Mohammed told Dawn that the police cordoned off the neighbourhood and chased the robbers as they came out of the victim’s house.

He said the dacoits tried to snatch a motorcycle and fired gunshots on the chasing party as they sought to escape. “The raiding party also returned fire and one of the robbers was killed on the spot,” he said.

The dead man was identified as Zahid, 30, and his accomplice as Amir Zada, 25. The two hailed from Gilgit and the arrested suspect is stated to be a student of the University of Karachi.

The SHO said the dacoits had been active in Gulshan-i-Iqbal for the past six months and they deprived many women of their jewellery when they came out to drop their children at schools.

“At least seven people, including three women, have so far identified the two robbers,” the SHO said and added that police seized jewellery worth Rs250,000, Rs50,000 in cash and two TT pistols from them.

Victim Hasnain, 63, who lives with his wife, two daughters and elderly mother, told Dawn that the intruders held his driver hostage at gunpoint and asked him to take them inside the house through the backdoor.

“My eldest daughter, student of MBBS final, was getting ready to reach the college at around 7.30am when she opened the backdoor on the knock of our driver to find the two gunmen there,” he said. He said his daughter tried to shut the door, but the robbers forced their way in and held her at gunpoint.