KARACHI: Some nine suspects — four kidnappers, three bandits and two gangsters — were gunned down in separate shootouts with police in the city, while an industrialist kidnapped over two days back was safely recovered in the early hours of Saturday, officials said.

In a midnight raid, off the Super Highway, police spotted a hideout in Jamali Goth where an industrialist was kept by the kidnappers for a ransom of Rs1 million, followed by a joint raid by the Anti-Violent Crime Cell (AVCC) of police and the Citizens-Police Liaison Committee (CPLC) that turned into a deadly encounter. During the shootout, four suspected kidnappers were killed, the police said.

“The industrialist was recovered safe and unhurt,” said CPLC chief Ahmed Chinoy. “He was kidnapped on May 14 from the Gulshan-i-Maymar area and the family received a call for his release against Rs1million ransom. We kept the kidnappers engaged through a family to trace their location and finally spotted them in Jamali Goth.”

He said there could be more than four kidnappers who might have escaped during the exchange of fire.

He said three TT pistols and a gun were seized from the possession of the deceased kidnappers, who had not been identified yet.

In Lyari, a joint raid by the police and Rangers in Singo Lane triggered firing from ‘gangsters’.

SP City Shiraz Nazeer said the armed men attacked personnel of the law-enforcement agencies when they were taking positions acting on a tip-off about the presence of the ‘gangsters’ in the area. The attack triggered a strong reaction from the police and Rangers, he said.

“The exchange of gunfire left two gangsters, who were later identified as Umair alias Chhotu and Asghar Ali alias Wiki, dead.”

An AK-47 rifle, a 9mm pistol and two hand-grenades were seized from their possession.

Hours later, two suspected bandits met the same fate in Baldia after they stormed into a house in Ghaziabad and held a family hostage at gunpoint, police said.

“One of the family members, however, managed to dodge the bandits and left home to call police,” said SSP West Irfan Baloch. “The police party rushed to the location and took positions and asked the bandits to surrender as they came out.”

While taking two of the family members hostage, the bandits attempted to escape, but the police ‘cleverly’ challenged them and an encounter ensued during which both the bandits were killed, said the SSP.

“One of the bandits has been identified as Bakht Jamal while the other remained unidentified. Two TT pistols and a motorbike have been seized from their possession,” he said.

Another bandit was killed near a shopping mall in Clifton Block 2, where he along with his accomplice was depriving families of cash and valuables, police said.

The police were informed on helpline 15 about the armed robbers, said and official at the Boat Basin police station. As the police reached the location they came under fire, he added.

In an ensuing encounter, one of the fleeing bandits was killed while the other sped away on a motorbike.

“The deceased was identified as Farooq Sher with the help of an identity card found in his pocket,” added the official.

Published in Dawn, May 18th, 2014