KARACHI: Two suspected robbers were gunned down in an as many alleged encounters in the metropolis on Monday.

SITE-Superhighway Industrial Area police said some suspects were allegedly snatching a motorcycle from a citizen in Khadim Solangi Goth when a police patrol reached there. On seeing the police, the suspects resorted to firing. When the police returned the fire, two suspects were wounded and arrested.

The police claimed to have recovered two illegal pistols, ammunition, spent bullet casings, one motorcycle and cash from their custody.

The injured suspects were taken to the Abbasi Shaheed Hospital where one of them died during treatment. An Edhi Foundation spokesperson identified the deceased as Sono Khan, 30, while his accomplice, Amir Husain, was admitted for treatment.

In another incident, a suspected robber, allegedly involved in the recent killing of an industrialist in Defence Housing Authority, was shot dead in an ‘encounter,’ police said on Monday.

The encounter took place on Khayaban-i-Sahil in which the suspect identified as Minthar was gunned down.

The suspect was involved in the killing of industrialist Asif Balwani in DHA on June 4, 2024. The businessman was gunned down by robbers over resistance while he was carrying cash from a private bank in the Boat Basin area.

The police claimed to have recovered one pistol along with four rounds and one motorcycle from the custody of the killed suspect. The seized bike was stolen from the limits of Bilal Colony police.

The deceased suspect’s two accomplices had been allegedly gunned down by Defence police in an earlier ‘encounter.’ The DIG-South said that the killed suspect had also been involved in bank dacoities, attempted murders and other incidents of street crimes.

The south police chief announced a cash reward and appreciation certificate for SHO Boat Basin for ‘resolving’ this high profile case.

Grenade attack jolts contractor’s house

Unknown suspects threw a hand grenade on the house of a local contractor in Moinabad-2 and fled.

Contingents of police, rescue services and Bomb Disposal Squad rushed to spot after receiving information of an ‘explosion’ on late Sunday night.

Sharafi Goth SHO Mohammed Khan Bohar said that the grenade explosion damaged the door of the house. Nobody was reported injured in the incident.

The officer said that the contractor told the investigators during the initial probe that his brother had received threats from Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan two years ago. The outlawed group had demanded Rs5 million as “extortion” from his brother, assuming him as a ‘big contractor.’ However, the officer said that the contractor did not appear to be a rich man. He lived in an 80-yards home.

However, Counter-Terrorism Department DIG Asif Ejaz Sheikh hinted the possibility that the incident might be related to some ‘local issue.’ He ruled out the possibility of involvement of the banned outfit behind the grenade attack.

The police were further investigating the case.

Published in Dawn, September 17th, 2024