KARACHI, March 8: A suspected motorcycle snatcher was shot dead while his two accomplices managed to flee during an ‘encounter’ near Urdu Bazaar within the remit of the Preedy police station early on Thursday, police said.

Three suspects snatched a motorcycle from Mohammed Danish, who was passing through the area, and tried to flee. However, a police party on patrol reached there and an encounter with the suspected bandits took place, the police added.

One of them was wounded in the exchange of fire while his two accomplices managed to flee, the police said.

The wounded bandit, later identified as 27-year-old Mukesh Achar, was taken to the Civil Hospital Karachi for treatment, where he succumbed to his wounds, ASP Ali Asif told Dawn.

The suspect was a resident of Lea Market, he added.

Later in the evening, family members of Mukesh staged a protest demonstration in front of the Preedy police station and chanted slogans against the police, claiming that Mukesh was innocent and the police had killed him in a fake encounter.

Senior police officials reached the spot and assured the protesters that the matter would be thoroughly investigated.

The ASP said that the bandits had snatched the motorcycle (registration no KFT-0153) from Mr Danish and two of his accomplices escaped on the same motorcycle.

The police officer claimed that Mukesh had been nominated in other robbery cases also.

An FIR (No 145/12) was registered at the Preedy police station on Mr Danish’s complaint.