KARACHI: After a brief lull, violence broke out in Lyari on Friday as armed gangs launched gun-and-bomb attacks on each other’s strongholds, causing death of an alleged gangster and injuries to several passers-by including four children.

Officials said that two men riding a motorbike threw a hand-grenade in Afshani Gali and fled. The explosion left a passer-by woman and four children wounded.

SSP-City Sheeraz Nazeer said that two rival gangs, led by Uzair Baloch and Noor Mohammed alias Baba Ladla, respectively, fought with each in Sabir Lane. A young man was killed in the clash. He was later identified as Sheeraz Rasheed, an alleged member of the gang being led by Uzair Baloch.

“We are looking for his criminal record,” said the SSP.

Fear and panic gripped parts of Lyari as residents preferred to stay indoors. Shops and other commercial activities were also suspended in the Kalakot area.

Later, police and Rangers entered the trouble-hit Sabir Lane area to carry out a search operation.

The area SSP said that the law-enforcers were fired upon by armed gangsters during the operation and they returned fire. As a result, one suspect, identified as Yasin alias Jogi, was killed, but his accomplice managed to escape.

He said that an AK-47 assault rifle and one hand-grenade were recovered from him. He was allegedly involved in cases pertaining to targeted killings and extortion, claimed SSP Nazeer.

Published in Dawn, October 4th, 2014