HYDERABAD: Two persons were killed and a passerby received bullet injuries in an exchange of fire during a botched raid conducted by Latifabad police in the Badin bus stop area within the jurisdiction of Hali Road police station the other day.

Tuesday’s incident was said to be an offshoot of a scuffle reported at a hotel located in B-section police station in Latifabad on March 17 when two rival parties engaged in a fist fighting and firing.

Mukhtiar Khoso, a resident of Qasimabad and said to be a property dealer, later lodged an FIR with B-section police vide crime No. 62/2 under Sections 324, 397, 147, 148, 149, 506, 504 PPC. He claimed he had arrived at a hotel to have sehri with his brother-in-law Fakhruddin on March 17.

He said that when he and Fakhruddin were leaving in their car, three unidentified persons opened the door from the passenger seat side where Fakhruddin was sitting while accused Mudasir Pathan, Qamar Zaman Kashmiri and Naimat Pathan opened the door from the driving seat side where the complainant was sitting.

He said the accused took them out of the car forcibly and snatched Mukhtiar’s licensed pistol. When he (Mukhtiar) resisted, Mudasir opened fire, slightly hitting a hotel waiter, Ilyas. The accused also took away his mobile phone and Rs20,000 cash that fell on road. Mudasir also snatched the car’s key from him and fled on a motorbike, he said.

Earlier Fakhruddin had lodged a case of buffaloes’ theft at Bhitai Nagar police station against Qamar Zaman Kashmiri and others, according to Khoso.

After the FIR registration of the March 17 incident, Mukhtiar Khoso, along with his friends, arrived at B-section police station and asked police to accompany him to a site where the accused nominated by him were present in the bus stop area.

ASI Sadaqat Gopang left police station, along with ASI Shahid Solangi, Head Constable Ali Hassan and Constable Mohammad Yasin, for the said area. The police party raided the area without informing concerned Hali Road police and taking them on board.

A police source said the party picked up Mudasir’s brother immediately. In retaliation the accused snatched a pistol from ASI Gopang and an exchange of fire ensued in which Mukhtiar Khoso, Salman Pathan, son of Dilawar Pathan, and one Rizwan Arain received injuries.

Khoso and Pathan were pronounced dead on arrival in hospital. Arain was, however, admitted in the hospital. ASI Sadaqat received minor injuries. None of the nominated accused could be arrested. But the police claimed to have arrested four suspects.

However, ASI Gopang in his FIR lodged at Hali Road police station claimed that he had raided the place following information that the nominated accused including Mudasir Pathan, Qamar Zaman Kashmiri, Naimatullah alias Rahmatullah Pathan, were present in the area of Badin bus stand near doodh mandi.

When he reached the site, Khoso also arrived there in his private car and he identified the accused. Besides the accused, their accomplices namely Umar Hayat, Faisal Pathan, Rizwan Gul, Salman Pathan and two others were also present there.

The ASI said that soon a fist fighting started between the two sides and they also traded fire, hitting Mukhtiar, son of Pahar Deen Khoso, Salman Pathan and Rizwan Arain. Mukhtiar and Salman died in the hospital while Rizwan was admitted.

SSP orders inquiry

Hyderabad SSP Adeel Hussain Chandio told Dawn that he had ordered an inquiry as to how the operation was conducted. A sub-divisional police officer (SDPO) of Bhitai Nagar police would conduct inquiry to find out where things went wrong and if the police party which raided the area complied with the required standard operating procedures (SOPs).

He confirmed that four suspects were picked up, but none of them was accused nominated by deceased Mukhtiar Khoso.

Published in Dawn, March 20th, 2025