KARACHI: A fleeing bandit was lynched in Korangi on Tuesday after he fired at a milk shop owner on resistance while his accomplice managed to escape along with the loot, police said.

The officials said two youngsters riding a motorbike pulled up at the shop in Korangi No 5. One of them entered the shop and snatched cash, a mobile phone and other valuables from its owner. However, the police added, the armed bandit shot at the shopkeeper as he put up resistance.

“The shop is situated along the main road,” said an official at the Zaman Town police station. “It’s quite a busy spot in the town and at any time you may find dozens of pedestrians mostly walking on the road in this area. The situation took a turn for the worst when the armed bandit fired a shot that left the shop owner, Rashid, wounded. Witnessing the incident, a group of people, mostly youngsters, approached the fleeing bandits and managed to overpower one of them. His accomplice, however, managed to speed away.”

The situation allowed more people to join in, who finally trapped and overpowered the bandit, the official said.

The suspected bandit fell unconscious when he was given a hiding by the charged mob before the police were informed about the armed robbery, he said.

“The police finally pulled the bandit out of the crowd and shifted him to the Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre, where he was pronounced dead.

“We have also seized his pistol. The deceased bandit remained unidentified,” said the official.

Published in Dawn, February 22nd, 2017