KARACHI: The city police claimed on Saturday that they had arrested five suspects, including one involved in the rape and murder of a minor girl in Machhar Colony and a “mastermind” in the Shershah junk market carnage case, in which over a dozen shopkeepers were killed.

Speaking at a press conference at his office, City SSP Faizullah Korejo said that acting on a tip-off, the Docks police arrested the male suspect in Machhar Colony.

During interrogation, the suspect “confessed” that he had kidnapped, raped and killed a minor girl in the same area on July 15, 2016. Only the girl’s skeleton was found as the body had completely decomposed, added the officer.

In the other incident, the Kalakot police acting on a tip-off, apprehended Naveed, alias Needu. The suspect, belonging to the Uzair Baloch-led gang, told interrogators that he was involved in the Shershah junk market killing case, in which 14 shopkeepers were killed in a grenade-cum-gun attack in 2010. The suspect would be handed over to the police concerned for further interrogation, said the SSP.

Separately, the Baghdadi police detained Kamran, alias Bela, who “admitted” that he had not only killed two policemen in an attack on the Baghdadi police checkpoint but was also involved in the murder of 15 other people.

SSP Korejo claimed that a week ago, the held suspect linked with Uzair-led gang had demanded Rs200,000 from a cable operator as ‘extortion’ and on non-payment of the amount, injured five persons there.

The Baghdadi police also arrested Jalal associated with the Sheeraz Comrade gang, involved in murder, extortion and street crime cases while the Kalakot police detained Sikandar, a member of the same gang and also involved in murder, kidnapping, helping accused persons escape from jail and disposing of victims’ bodies.

MQM man killed in ‘encounter’

The Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD) of police claimed to have killed a man associated with the Muttahida Qaumi Movement in an ‘encounter’ in the Korangi area in the early hours of Saturday morning.

The CTD conducted a targeted raid in the Bagh-i-Korangi area where in an ensuing encounter, one suspect, identified as Waseem “affiliated with MQM-A” was killed, said a senior officer.

The suspect was allegedly involved in the killing of two police constables of the Pak Colony police — Sohail Haroon and Shafqatullah Gondal.

Published in Dawn January 29th, 2017