KARACHI: Enraged people thrashed two suspected robbers and attempted to lynch them by setting them on fire in New Karachi on Saturday, police said.

Central SSP Zeeshan Shafiq Siddiqi said that area people caught two suspects within the remit of the Bilal Colony police station, gave them a severe beating and were about to set them on fire when a police team arrived at the scene and saved them from the wrath of the mob.

He said that the wounded suspects were shifted to the Abbasi Shaheed Hospital for treatment, where they were identified as Abdullah and Shahzeb.

Two pistols and one snatched motorcycle were recovered from their custody.

Shahzeb had a past criminal record as he was arrested by the Iqbal Market police earlier.

The SSP said that a legal action would also be taken against those who tried to kill the suspects.

Suspect held

Police on Saturday claimed to have arrested a suspected mugger who had shot dead a shopkeeper in North Nazimabad recently.

The SSP-Central said that Ghulam Mohammed, 60, was gunned down within the remit of the Shahrah-i-Noor Jehan police station on April 25. Initially, the family had claimed that he was gunned down by robbers. However, the police investigated the case and found that Usman alias Patakha killed the victim over a minor dispute.

The police arrested him and recovered a .30-bore pistol used in the murder.

Meanwhile, four robbers barged into a house in the Defence area and walked off with Rs1.1 million on Saturday, according to APP.

Published in Dawn, April 28th, 2024