KARACHI: Four suspected gangsters were shot dead in two separate ‘encounters’ in Pak Colony and Lyari areas in the early hours of Thursday during a joint operation by the Rangers and police, officials said.

They added that one of the gangsters, Naeem Lahoti, was wanted in over two dozen murder and other criminal cases. For his arrest, the Sindh government had announced reward money. Two other gangsters, Moula Dad and Inayat, had been involved in the recent kidnapping and murder of three brothers over a ‘drug money’ dispute, the officials said.

Moula Dad and Inayat were killed in an “exchange of fire” with law enforcers after the paramilitary force and police conducted a raid on a hideout of drug peddlers in Lashari Mohalla of Old Golimar.

Karachi-West SSP Pir Mohammed Shah told Dawn that Moula Dad was nephew of slain Arshad Pappu while Inayat was his right-hand man.

The officer said both the deceased were involved in the killing of three brothers, identified as Kashif alias Haji, Saqib and Ashiq. They were kidnapped in the Old Golimar area on last Friday night and their bodies with bullet marks were found from Lyari River’s bank near Lasbella and Shershah, respectively.

The SSP said the three brothers were not relatives of Arshad Pappu. They belonged to his rival gang in Old Golimar.

Before the launch of targeted operations in 2013, one gangster identified as Sajid was leading his gang in Old Golimar. Later, another gangster, identified as Anwar Kojak, made an ‘entry’ into Old Golimar by expelling members of the Sajid-led gang. Kojak’s gang was later overpowered by one, Sharif alias Zikri alias Agha Pathan who established his own drug den, Agha Pathan’s Adda.

Some seven to eight months ago, Kashif alias Haji ended the influence Sharif Zikri gang in Old Golimar after which a clash broke out between Kashif and Arshad Pappu-led gang over ‘drug money’. The Pappu gang allegedly kidnapped and killed the three brothers to run a ‘drug den’ there that was later destroyed by the police.

SSP Shah said the three brothers had criminal record while their fourth brother, Asif alias Ahu, had lost his leg in an ‘encounter’ around two to three months ago.

Separately, the Rangers and police conducted a targeted raid in the Singulane area of Chakiwara. It was an intelligence-driven action on suspected hideout of Yusuf Pathan, said the Rangers spokesperson.

On seeing the personnel, the suspects resorted to firing and tried to escape. The Rangers chased the fleeing suspects and after a “heavy exchange of firing,” killed two suspects while their two accomplices managed to escape.

The deceased were identified as Naeem alias Lahoti and Zeeshan, who were associated with Uzair Baloch-led gang.

Lyari SP Aftab Nizamani told Dawn that Naeem Lahoti was wanted in 20 to 30 murder and other criminal cases while Zeeshan was involved in two to three murder cases.

Published in Dawn, September 30th, 2016