KARACHI: Two suspected robbers were killed and as many passers-by hurt in an alleged encounter with Rangers in New Karachi, police said on Monday.

New Karachi SHO Mohammed Nadeem said that a man drew cash from an ATM late on Sunday night and as soon he left on a motorbike, armed suspects started chasing him. The man sensed the danger, abandoned the motorbike and tried to run, but the muggers fired at him in a bid to stop him.

Some Rangers personnel heard the shots and challenged the muggers. In an exchange of fire, both the suspects were killed on the spot.

The SHO said due to the muggers’ firing two passers-by, Mohammed Waseem, 50, and Dua Rais, 20, suffered injuries.

The dead and injured were shifted to the Abbasi Shaheed Hospital.

One of the deceased was later identified as Adnan.

Cop attempts self-immolation outside CPO

A police officer, who is facing multiple inquiries, on Monday tried to commit self-immolation outside the Central Police Office (CPO), according to officials.

The Mithadar police said that Sub-Inspector Muzaffar Ali Chandio, aged around 45-50, arrived at the CPO in uniform. He sprinkled oil on himself and set himself on fire. Some policemen posted for security put out the fire and saved him.

He was taken to the Burns Centre of the Dr Ruth Pfau Civil Hospital. A police spokesperson said that the officer suffered 41 per cent burns.

The police officer was posted at Telecommunication branch in Mirpurkhas.

Sindh police chief Mushtaq Mahar directed the officers concerned to provide all possible medical help to the injured.

The police spokesman said an inquiry would also be carried out to know the causes that compelled the officer to take such an extreme action.

Police sources said that the injured officer’s mobile van was recently involved in an accident in Gulshan-i-Hadeed that claimed the life of a person.

The official vehicle was being driven by Chandio’s son. Senior officers took notice of the incident and he was suspended and an inquiry was also initiated against him.

The sources said that a lady head constable in Mirpurkhas had also lodged a complaint against him for allegedly blackmailing her and an inquiry was also pending against the injured officer in this regard.

Man dies in warehouse fire

An elderly man died when a fire erupted in a godown in Orangi Town on Monday afternoon, according to officials and rescue services.

They added that the fire broke out when electric wires fell on the warehouse located in Sector-A of Orangi Town.

Edhi volunteers retrieved the body of a man, later identified as Ahmed Khan, 80.

A fire official said that the man died of suffocation.

Published in Dawn, April 27th, 2021