KARACHI: Police on Wednesday booked and arrested a policeman in a case pertaining to the killing of a young man in a ‘fake’ encounter near Liaquat National Hospital.

On Tuesday, the police claimed to have killed young Kamal Kishan in an encounter by dubbing him a mugger. However, Kishan’s family and friends lodged a forceful protest outside the New Town police station prompting the authorities to order a probe.

Relatives of the victim also staged a protest near the office of the DIG-East in the morning.

The police registered a murder case against Inspector Farman Ali Shah on the complaint of the victim’s father at the New Town police station.

Abdul Rehman, a cousin of the victim, said he was converted to Islam. He added that Inspector Shah was also arrested in the murder case.

The victim’s father stated in the FIR that the held policeman killed his son after snatching Rs80,000 from him.

He stated that Kishan and his friend, Aneel, both residents of Shanti Nagar, had gone to Lyari to collect money from his relatives as he needed the amount for the marriage of his daughter. They were returning home when a police mobile intercepted them on Stadium Road.

The complainant stated that the held inspector snatched the cash and other valuables from Kishan. After snatching the cash, he asked him to run and as he moved he fired from behind, killing him on the spot.

Earlier, the police had claimed that Inspector Shah of the investigation wing was standing near the Liaquat National Hospital in plain clothes when a passer-by informed him that two armed pillion riders were on the run after snatching his cell phone.

They had claimed that the officer immediately challenged the fleeing suspects, who fired on him and when he returned fire, one of them got killed while his accomplice fled. The police also claimed to have recovered a pistol and the snatched cell phone from the dead.

Later, the SSP-East appointed a senior officer to conduct a probe and on his report the New Town police lodged an FIR under Section 302 (premeditated murder) of the Pakistan Penal Code.

Published in Dawn, May 4th, 2023