KARACHI: A Rangers man was killed and another wounded in an encounter with alleged extortionists in the Defence area on Tuesday in which one suspect was also shot dead, officials said.

A Rangers spokesperson said that the Rangers Special Task Force received a complaint from a trader that some persons were demanding protection money from him.

The task force started its investigation and laid a trap to arrest the culprits.

An encounter with the suspects took place near Kala Pul when they came to collect the extortion amount, the spokesperson said, adding that as a result one extortionist got killed while his accomplice managed to escape.

A Rangers man, identified as Zulfiqar, was killed and another personnel Khalil sustained bullet wounds, he added.

However, police said a trader received a chit for payment of Rs200,000 as protection money. He informed the Citizens-Police Liaison Committee and the Rangers about it. They said that the suspect called the trader to collect the protection money. Some five Rangers men were deputed at the spot and when four suspects came to collect the extortion amount, the Rangers personnel challenged them. In their bid to escape, the suspects opened fire killing one Rangers man and wounding another. In retaliatory fire, a suspect also got killed.

Published in Dawn, August 20th, 2014