October 29, 2008	Wednesday	Shawwal 29, 1429

KARACHI, Oct 28: A suspected bandit and a passer-by were killed during a shootout between police and suspected dacoits on M.A Jinnah Road on Tuesday.

Police said Asif Raza, an employee of a bank near Grumandir, left his office on a motorcycle. When he reached M.A Jinnah Road two dacoits riding a motorbike intercepted him.

They asked him to hand over the cash saying that he had come out from a bank, DSP of Preedy Salman Husain told Dawn while quoting the robbery victim.

The DSP said Asif told the suspected dacoits that he was a bank employee and not a customer. However, the dacoits snatched his wallet and cellphone and sped away on their bike. However, the victim didn’t give up. He followed the dacoits and near the Karachi Adventist Hospital saw a police mobile of Preedy police station. He told them about the incident.

The police followed the suspects and near the Kandawala building, a shootout took place between the suspects and the police. A suspected dacoit, who was later identified as Ilyas, was killed and a rickshaw driver, Zar Bakhat, received fatal bullet wounds. The other suspect was arrested by the police.

The DSP claimed that the police recovered two TT pistols, three magazines and 17 additional rounds from dacoits’ custody.

Meanwhile, police arrested two suspects, Mohammad Hayat and Gul Zaman, and recovered arms and ammunition from a bus at Sohrab Goth.