KARACHI: A college student was shot dead while a friend of his sustained bullet wounds by armed men after an accident on Abdul Sattar Edhi Avenue at Do Darya in Defence Housing Authority on Sunday morning, officials said.

The victims travelling in a Mercedes had hit a motorcyclist who was involved in bike-racing at the beach when his (motorcyclist) friends travelling in Vigo chased and opened indiscriminate fire on them. The suspects managed to escape from the crime scene who were later arrested by the police with the help of CCTV footage obtained from the area and witnesses, said Karachi-South SSP Javed Akbar Riaz while speaking at a press conference at the Sahil police station.

The senior officer said that Zafir Fahim and his friend Zaid, both residents of Defence Housing Authority, had gone to a popular eatery area at Do Darya to have a breakfast when their Mercedes hit the bike-rider who fell.

Suspects arrested with help of CCTV footage

They did not stop their vehicle and the bike-rider’s friends who were reportedly ‘monitoring’ bike-racing chased them in their Vigo and opened fire on them after a short distance.

As a result, the both friends sustained bullet wounds and were taken to a private hospital, where Zafir died during treatment.

Later on, his body was shifted to the Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre for medico-legal formalities.

“The deceased sustained three bullet wounds — one in the chest and two on the hands,” said police surgeon Dr Aijaz Khokhar.

Clifton SP Dr Asad Malhi told Dawn that Zaid received a bullet injury on a hand and his condition was out of danger.

SSP Javed Akbar Riaz said that with the help of CCTV footage obtained from the area and witnesses, the police conducted a raid on a house located on Allama Iqbal Road off Tariq Road in Block-II, PECHS, and arrested Khawar Burney, the main suspect in the case.

The Vigo vehicle and 9mm pistol used in the killing were also recovered.

His three accomplices, including Dr Abdul Raheem, the bike-rider were also arrested, added the officer. The SSP said Raheem was an MBBS doctor.

“The held suspects were ‘loafers’ and it has been their habit to ride heavy motorbikes on roads and indulge in strange activities,” said Javed Akbar Riaz.

As per their ‘habit’, they were involved in racing heavy motorbikes on Abdul Sattar Avenue when the accident occurred.

Initial probe revealed that the suspects fired over a dozen bullets on the Mercedes, said the SSP.

The main suspect, Khawar Burney, “confessed” to his involvement in the killing.

Another police officer, Clifton SP Dr Asad Malhi told Dawn that 18-year-old Zafir, a son of a senior official of United Bank Ltd, was a first-year student of DHA College.

Home minister Sohail Anwar Siyal while taking notice of the incident sought an immediate report from the AIG Karachi, Mushtaq Ahmed Mahar.

The minister also ordered immediate arrest of the culprits involved in the incident.

Published in Dawn, December 4th, 2017