HYDERABAD: A criminal carrying Rs500,000 head money was killed in an encounter with police near Jurial Shah graveyard within the limits of the Phulelli police station on Friday morning.

Phulelli police station SHO Inspector Rana Pervez Akhtar said that police received a tip-off about some armed robbers planning to deprive livestock traders and customers of sacrificial animals of their money.

When police reached the spot, around three criminals started exchanging fire with them. When police retaliated, a criminal was killed while two others fled, he said.

The body was shifted to the Liaquat University Hospital (LUH) Hyderabad where he was identified as Naveed Panhwar, 30, son of Mohammad Yaqoob Panhwar.

He said the criminal was involved in more than 25 heinous crimes, including murder, attempt to murder, armed robberies, attacks on police and others in Hyderabad district and elsewhere. He said the Sindh government had announced a Rs500,000 reward for him. He said police seized one pistol with nine live bullets from his possession. He was resident of Panhwar Goth, SITE area, Hyderabad.

The body was handed over to the heirs after medico-legal formalities.

The SHO said two brothers of the deceased, Zahid Panhwar and Abbas Panhwar, were shot dead in police encounters in the past while his father and three other brothers were jailed due to criminal activities. He said Hyderabad SSP Amjad Shaikh had announced Rs50,000 reward and a certificate for Inspector Rana Pervez Akhtar.

Published in Dawn, August 26th, 2017