KARACHI: Two alleged gangsters and a suspected mugger were killed in encounters on different spots of the Lyari area, police said on Friday.

They said that following the kidnapping and killing of three men in Kalakot’s Afshani Gali, the police and Rangers conducted search operations in parts of Lyari late on Thursday night.

According to SSP-City Sheraz Nazeer, the three killings were the result of infighting between two rival gangs being led by Mullah Nisar and Sarwar Baloch, respectively.

He said that during the search operation in Kalakot, armed men fired at the law-enforcers and the latter returned fire. During the exchange of gunfire, a suspected gangster, identified as Malik Mushtaq, was killed.

He said that the deceased was an alleged member of the Sarwar gang.

The SSP said that an encounter also took place during a similar operation in the Kalri area. As a result of the shootout, another suspect, identified as Mulla Rasheed, was shot dead, he said, adding that the deceased was a member of the Mulla Nisar gang.

He said that Sarwar Baloch was the right-hand man of Uzair Baloch, while Mullah Nisar was previously associated with Uzari Baloch but recently parted ways due to some differences.

Meanwhile, an armed men was allegedly looting passers-by in the Baghdadi area when a police patrol arrived there and challenged him. The suspect fired at the police and in an ensuing encounter he suffered a bullet wound. He was moved to the Civil Hospital Karachi, where he died during treatment. He was identified as Javed.

Published in Dawn, July 12th, 2014