KARACHI: A policeman was martyred while two suspected motorbike thieves were shot dead during an encounter in the Nazimabad area early on Thursday morning, police said.

They added that three suspects were allegedly trying to snatch a motorbike from a citizen near Eidgah ground when two policemen riding a motorbike arrived there. In an ensuing encounter, one policeman, Syed Zeeshan, was killed while two suspects, identified as Abdul Basit and Habib, were gunned down. Their third accomplice escaped in an injured condition.

Additional police surgeon of the Abbasi Shaheed Hospital, Dr Saleem Shaikh, said that they received the policeman and two suspects brought dead to the hospital. The suspects sustained multiple bullet wounds.

Soon after the encounter, a citizen made a video of the crime scene, which went viral on social media. An ambulance was seen on the spot in which the coffin of the martyred policeman was kept.

It also showed that both suspects were bleeding when apparently an angry policeman came close to them and fired at them. The policeman could be seen in the video firing shots.

The policeman fired four more shots, hitting the injured suspects.

The policeman, identified as Shahmir, has been taken into custody, according to officials. A police source told Dawn that Shahmir is a cousin of the martyred policeman.

The victim was supposed to marry a sister of the held policeman very soon and a wedding hall had been booked for the event in the city.

The police source said that apparently in a fit of anger and grief over the loss of life of a close relative, the policeman became emotional and took the law into his own hands by resorting to firing on the injured suspects.

Probe ordered

Sindh Inspector General of Police Dr Syed Kaleem Imam took notice of the incident.

He sought a detailed report from the West DIG about the footage being shown on social media regarding the encounter.

Dr Imam asked the DIG to submit a report to him immediately, which should contain all necessary legal and departmental action about the incident, added the official.

Funeral prayer of the martyred policeman was held at the police headquarters in Garden, which was attended by the Sindh IG, Rangers DG, additional IG of Karachi and other senior officials of the police and Rangers.

Published in Dawn, September 20th, 2019