KARACHI: Deputy Inspector General of Police South Javed Akbar Riaz on Thursday said that the police were investigating the alleged Tuesday night suicide of Dr Maha Ali Shah in Defence Housing Authority.

In a statement, the senior officer added that a Brazilian made 9mm pistol was used in the crime whose verification letter had been sent to the deputy commissioner South.

The weapon had also been sent to the police forensic science lab for examination. “The police are investigating the case from all angles,” observed the DIG.

Dr Maha’s father Asif Shah had informed Madadgar-15 police about the incident. Preliminary report revealed that Maha suffered bullet wound from a very close range.

She had shifted to a rented house located on 11th Commercial Street, Phase-IV around 15 days ago along with her father and sisters.

The doctor was working at a private hospital in Clifton and originally belonged to Mirpurkhas, according to the DIG’s statement.

According to the Gizri police, a woman namely Dr Maha Ali Shah, daughter of Asif Ali Shah aged 23/24 years received gunshot wounds in DHA Phase-4 on Tuesday night.

She was shifted to the Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre (JPMC). She had received a bullet in her head.

According to sources in medico-legal section of the JPMC, Dr Maha was brought to the hospital at 11.39pm on Tuesday and she died during treatment at the ward at 2.50am on Wednesday.

She suffered bullet wound on left temporal lobe.

A senior medico-legal officer, who wished not to be named, said that if the young female doctor had not been left-handed, then doubts might be raised about the suicide version.

Man found shot dead in Maymar

A 45-year-old Afghan national was found shot dead in Gulshan-i-Maymar on Thursday. Police said the body of Abdul Razzaq was recovered from a ground in Afghan Camp. The police believed that he was killed by his “friends” who disappeared.

The victim was a resident of Surjani Town and had gone to Afghan Camp to attend a ceremony along with his friends, where he was killed.

Youth wounded in Al-Falah dies

A youth shot at and wounded by policemen three days ago in Al-Falah area died during treatment on Thursday.

A police spokesperson said Hassan Abbas, 23, who was shot and wounded by firing of PC Zulfiqar at Al-Falah on Aug 17 had succumbed to his injuries during treatment at a private hospital at Hill Park.

The police said that they had received a call about an alleged robbery in a home.

The officer said the family had gone somewhere to attend marriage ceremony and when they returned home at around 2am on Aug 17, their belongings and valuables were allegedly looted.

The house occupants told the police that dacoits were still inside the home, which wasn’t true.

As the police took action, Hasan Abbas, who was standing there, was “unintentionally” injured, said Korangi SSP Shahnawaz Chachar.

The officer added that the policeman who fired the shot had been arrested and booked under murder charges.

The officer revealed that the police were also investigating whether any house robbery had taken place and whether there was any mala fide intention behind the call made to police.

Published in Dawn, August 21st, 2020