KARACHI: A law and order situation emerged on Tuesday in Orangi Town when an armed robbery led to the killing of a man by the robbers, setting off protest by residents who blamed the police for failing to establish their writ in the densely-populated neighbourhood, officials and witnesses said.

They added that four armed men on two motorbikes intercepted an aged passer-by near Masjid-i-Arafat in Sector 9-E of Orangi Town. They snatched cash and valuables at gunpoint from him, who was later identified as Qutubuddin, the police added.

“As the riders were trying to speed away the aged person tried to overpower one of the robbers and shouted for help,” said an official at the Orangi Town police station. “The armed robber thrashed him badly and fired multiple indiscriminate gunshots to keep people away who gathered there witnessing the scene. One of the bullets fired by the bandits hit 38-year-old passer-by Rashid Ishtiaq in his chest, who died on the spot.”

The bandits sped away with the looted money and mobile phone leaving Rashid dead and Qutubuddin injured.

The situation enraged the area people, who took to the street and blocked the main road chanting slogans against the police and local administration.

“It has become a routine in this area,” said Shams ul Islam, an area shopkeeper.

“The armed men almost daily rob people in broad daylight. The police have been [approached] several times. After every incident they enhance patrolling for a day or two and then they disappear. Not a single arrest has been made in this regard for months,” added another shopkeeper.

The key road link remained blocked for a couple of hours after which the authorities intervened and managed to restore flow of traffic and dispersed the protesters peacefully, convincing them of strong action against street crimes.

Security guard shot dead

A private security guard was allegedly shot dead by his colleague in Jamshed Quarters early on Tuesday morning.

Although the police had arrested the suspect, they were not sure about the motive for the killing.

“The police were informed about the body of a private security guard with a bullet wound in Cosmopolitan Society off Mazar-i-Quaid,” said an official at the Jamshed Quarters police station.

“Our patrol team reached the scene and found the body of 57-year-old Liaquat, who was hit a single bullet in the chest. The people present there said that the victim had been allegedly shot dead by his colleague Asif who was taken into custody. The police took the body to hospital for medico-legal formalities. The suspect is being interrogated.”

Published in Dawn, April 7th, 2021