KARACHI: Four suspects, including two alleged militants and kidnappers, were shot dead in two separate ‘encounters’ in the city on Thursday by special units of the police, officials said.

The two suspected militants were gunned down in Korangi Industrial Area on Thursday morning by the crime investigation department (CID) officers.

Acting on a tip-off that two suspects would pass through Allahwala Town near Godam Chowrangi, a special police team was positioned there for snap checking, officials said.

As the suspects riding a motorcycle appeared there, the police indicated them to stop. But they opened fire in their attempt to flee upon which the officers returned fire, killing both suspects, the police added.

The police claimed to have seized two pistols and two hand grenades from them.

The bodies were taken to the Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre, where they were identified as Afzal Khan, 30, and Abdul Jalal, 28.

The police claimed that the dead men belonged to the banned Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan and were involved in several terror acts, including a bomb attack on a corner meeting of ANP candidate Bashir Jan during the last general elections and a blast near Nine Zero, the MQM headquarters.

Later on in the evening, two alleged kidnappers were gunned down in Steel Town by an anti-violent crime cell team, an officer said.

The senior officer of the AVCC said that on Sept 2, a kidnap victim, Iqbal Ahmed, was found dead in Korangi Industrial Area even after payment of a ransom of Rs1.2 million to kidnappers.

The police with help of the latest technology and informers identified a gang allegedly involved in the incident.

On Thursday, the AVCC got information that the suspects would pass through a road linking Steel Town with Memon Goth, where a special team was posted.

When the suspects riding a motorcycle came, the police indicated them to stop but they opened fire and during an ‘exchange of fire’ one suspect was shot dead on the spot while another died while being taken to the JPMC, the police added.

The AVCC officer withheld the identity of the deceased, saying that they intended to conduct raids for arrest of their accomplices.

Shopkeeper, son killed by robbers

A man and his son were shot dead by suspected robbers in Quaidabad on Thursday, police said.

Three suspects riding a motorbike stormed a mobile phone top-up shop at Hussaini Chowrangi in Sherpao Colony. As its inmates resisted, the suspects opened fire on them and fled, said Quaidabad SHO Amanullah Marwat.

Abdullah Jan, 65, and his son, Syed Alam, 25, sustained a single bullet each and were taken to the JPMC, where doctors declared them dead on arrival.

Man shot dead

A 65-year-old man was shot dead in Pirabad on Thursday.

Police said Mohammed Aslam Niazi, a retired constable of the FIA, was sitting on a footpath outside his home in Qasba Mor with a neighbour when assailants riding a motorbike opened fire on Aslam and fled.

He sustained critical injuries and was taken to the ASH, where doctors declared him dead.

The incident appeared to be the result of some personal enmity, said Pirabad SHO Nasir Mehmood.

Man gunned down

A 60-year-old man was shot dead in Jamshed Quarters on Thursday, police said.

They added that Mohammed Moin was standing in a street in Patel Para when two gunmen shot him dead. The victim hailed from Battagram. The police suspected personal enmity behind the murder.

Published in Dawn, October 24th, 2014