KARACHI: Armed muggers gunned down another citizen of this city over resistance and wounded four others in different localities on Sunday.

Murders of innocent and unarmed citizens during robberies and muggings have become a routine in the metropolis as it appears that the police and Rangers have completely failed to take an effective action against street criminals.

When asked about a surge in street crimes in the metropolis, Inspector General of Police (IGP) Ghulam Nabi Memon said: “Usually, crime rate increases [in the city] during Ramzan.”

“[But] this can be controlled by effective deployment and action against repeat criminals,” he told Dawn. “We will try to mobilise maximum force to improve our response against any such criminal activity,” the IGP added.

Septuagenarian among four persons wounded in city

On Sunday, armed muggers shot dead a middle-aged man over resistance in Surjani Town. Police said that the incident took place in Sector-D/6, Gulistan-i-Kazim.

Area police officer Anwar Ali said that Syed Masood Ali, 52, was standing outside his under-construction house when armed men riding a motorcycle emerged there, held him at gunpoint and demanded his cell phone and cash.

He said that the criminals fired at Ali over resistance and rode away. He suffered critical bullet wounds and was taken to the Abbasi Shaheed Hospital where doctors pronounced him dead on arrival.

Four wounded over resistance

A teenage boy was shot at and wounded by robbers when he offered resistance in Federal B. Area Block-20 on Sunday.

The Samanabad police identified the teenager as Maaz Wasti and said that armed pillion riders tried to snatch valuables from him. As he put up resistance, the robbers opened fire on him and fled without any loot.

The teenager suffered bullet wounds in the leg and was taken to the Abbasi Shaheed Hospital (ASH), where his condition was stated to be out of danger.

In Orangi Town, 22-year-old Salahuddin was shot at and wounded when he resisted an armed robbery bid in Sector-12 on Sunday.

Orangi SHO Waqar Ahmed said that armed motorcyclists snatched the cell phone from the young man. As they were fleeing, the robbery victim raised alarm upon which the muggers fired at him and rode away.

He sustained bullet injuries in the leg and was taken to the ASH, where his condition was said to be stable.

In Ittehad Town police limits, 20-year-old Wajahat Shah became the target of street criminals. Police said he was shot by armed muggers when he resisted their robbery bid in Mohammed Khan Colony on Sunday evening. The wounded youth was shifted to the Dr Ruth Pfau Civil Hospital Karachi for treatment.

In Manghopir, the criminals did not spare even a septuagenarian person.

Sharafat Khan, 70, was shot at and wounded by robbers near Bund Murad Chowrangi on Northern Bypass. The wounded citizen was shifted to the ASH for treatment.

Published in Dawn, March 27th, 2023