KARACHI: A suspected robber was shot dead by a citizen who himself suffered a bullet wound while resisting an armed robbery bid in the Defence area on Monday evening, police said.

They said two suspected robbers were arrested in a wounded condition while their three remaining accomplices managed to escape.

DIG-South Javed Akbar Riaz said six armed robbers entered a house located on Central Street, DHA, Phase-II, for a robbery. He said the robbers had introduced themselves as workers of the K-Electric and told someone inside the house that they had come to attend a complaint pertaining to electricity failure.

However, sensing danger, Umair, a son of the house owner, challenged the robbers and during an exchange of firing, one of the suspects was killed on the spot while his five accomplices tried to flee.

Security guards hired by area residents chased the fleeing suspects and fired at them causing injuries to two more suspects, who were overpowered by them. Meanwhile, the police arrived and took the wounded suspects in their custody.

The wounded Umair was taken to a nearby private hospital for treatment. The DIG visited him and inquired about his health. He told Dawn the young man, son of a builder, suffered a bullet wound in the abdomen, but his condition was out of danger.

The dead and wounded suspects were shifted to the Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre (JPMC).

Area resident Usama Qureshi said some neighbours had hired services of private guards in view of rising incidents of house robberies. They had also established ‘community policing’ for liaison with the police to curb crimes. He praised the guards for their bravery.

The DIG said it was a gang of local criminals who were involved in robberies. One of the suspects was wanted in a recent robbery in the Frere area. He said the held suspects had disclosed names of their escaped accomplices.

The police identified him as Uzair, 25, and the held suspects as Fahad Raisani, 26, and Sanaullah, 25.

Three other dacoits who managed to escape were identified as Bilal Arain, Mohammad Muslim and Hameed.

The additional police surgeon of the JPMC, Dr Summaiya Syed, said the killed suspect suffered three bullet wounds in the hand and foot.

Published in Dawn, October 26th, 2021