KARACHI, Dec 19: A young girl died and five pedestrians including two women were injured on Tuesday in what police described as an encounter in Lyari with three members of the Rehman Dakait gang.

The TPO Lyari, Dawood Ahmed Junejo, said the station house officer of Kalakot police station went to Dhobi Chowk on a raid after a tip-off. A heavy gun battle broke out injuring three women including a young girl. They were rushed to civil hospital where the young girl died. Her identity had not been ascertained till the time this report was filed. The two women were admitted for treatment.

The TPO said police arrested three wounded men and shifted two of them to civil hospital. He declined to say anything about their identity saying it was premature to comment. However, in almost the same breath, he wasted no time in describing the suspects as Rehman Dakait’s men.

A large number of people gathered outside the hospital’s emergency ward causing problems for patients coming to the hospital.

The third suspect who sustained a bullet in his lower abdomen was taken to the Jinnah Hospital where doctors said a large posse of policemen accompanied him. A policeman requesting anonymity said the wounded man was Mullah Nasir, a close associate of Rehman Dakait.

The police said they had recovered arms and ammunition from the wounded men. City police chief, Mr Tariq Jamil confirmed the incident saying that it is suspected the three men arrested in wounded condition belong to the Rehman Dakait gang.