KARACHI: Police, Rangers and Citizens-Police Liaison Committee jointly recovered a 10-year-old boy and killed his three alleged Afghan kidnappers in an encounter in Ittehad Town early on Thursday morning, said officials.

The minor, son of a businessman, was kidnapped on June 29 in Metroville, SITE-A, from outside his home. An FIR (No. 303/2020) was registered under Sections 364 (kidnapping) and 34 (common intention) of the Pakistan Penal Code at the SITE A police station.

According to CIA DIG Arif Hanif and CPLC chief Zubair Habib, a white hi-roof (registration no CS 0258) was used in the kidnapping with a fake number plate, which was later recovered by law enforcement officials.

On July 1, the victim’s family received a ransom call for Rs10 million from Afghanistan and ‘grey exchange’ numbers.

Early on Thursday morning, the Anti-Violent Crime Cell (AVCC), Rangers and the CPLC jointly launched a probe and traced the hideout of kidnappers in Ittehad Town.

The law enforcement officials reached the site, upon which the kidnappers started firing. The law enforcers returned fire.

Three alleged kidnappers were wounded in the firing, said an Edhi Foundation spokesperson.

The wounded were taken to the Dr Ruth Pfau Civil Hospital Karachi, where they were pronounced dead on arrival, said police surgeon Dr Qarar Ahmed Abbasi.

One suspect received a single bullet in the neck, the second one also received a single bullet on his chest while the third alleged kidnapper received two bullets on chest and in abdomen.

The identity of the deceased kidnappers could not be ascertained immediately.

DIG CIA Arif Hanif believed that the kidnappers belonged to an ‘Afghan’ criminal gang.

The kidnap victim was safely recovered.

Man shot dead in New Karachi

A 42-year-old man was shot dead in New Karachi Industrial Area on Thursday, said police.

They added that Rais was gunned down by armed motorcyclists near Nala Stop in New Karachi.

The victim was travelling in a rickshaw after depositing cash at a bank branch.

The suspects didn’t take away anything from him, claimed area SHO Nazeer Zaheer.

The officer added the police were probing as to whether it was an attempted robbery-related murder or something else.

The body was taken to the Abbasi Shaheed Hospital to fulfil medico-legal formalities.

Published in Dawn, July 3rd, 2020