May 25, 2008	Sunday	Jamadi-ul-Awwal 19, 1429

KARACHI, May 24: A police constable, Naveed, serving with the Crime Investigation Department (CID), was shot dead on Saturday while his colleague was left seriously injured as they attempted to intercept wanted criminals in the Risala area, who opened fire on the law enforcers.

Area police and CID officials said the two policemen were on duty keeping watch for the last four days on a gang wanted in several robbery cases mainly in bungalows in the DHA, Ferozabad and Society areas.

However, they said when the two constables – backed by a police party – moved to stop a hi-roof van carrying four alleged robbers as it came out of their hideout, two of them got out of the vehicle and opened fire indiscriminately.

“Constable Naveed succumbed to his wounds while constable Aurangzeb received serious bullet wounds,” said SSP CID Raja Umer Khattab. “Our team is well aware of the attackers and one of them includes a notorious gangster, Naveed. He was among the two who attacked our police party.”

He said the congested area and indiscriminate firing from the attackers prevented the police party from retaliating, which could have caused ‘collateral damage.’

The attackers, while fleeing, also took away a motorcycle and official pistol of one of the constables.

The two victims later were rushed to the Civil Hospital, where Aurangzeb was moved to the operation theatre as doctors termed his condition stable.

“He has received four bullets but fortunately, none of (the wounds) proved fatal, as they mainly hit his legs,” said an official at Civil Hospital. “The deceased constable received two bullets and died minutes after the injury, as he was struck on the upper part of the body.”

By the evening, the police authorities finalized arrangements to send the body of the slain constable to his ancestral home in Chakwal. The 27-year-old Naveed was married almost two years ago and left a widow with a six-month old daughter among the mourners.

The CID police later registered an FIR (97/2008) under Sections 353, 324, 337/34 of the Pakistan Penal Code (PPC) and Section 7 of the Anti-Terrorism Act (ATA) against the culprits.

The police authorities are confident about reaching the culprits soon.