KARACHI, Aug 31: A police constable and an alleged robber ringleader were killed and a sub-inspector was wounded in a Friday morning shootout in Bhitai Colony, located in the jurisdiction of the Ibrahim Hyderi police station.

The police said that suspect Jawed, alias Taya, 32, and 35-year-old constable Mumtaz Hussain, were killed in the shooting while SI Nasrullah was wounded. Jawed’s accomplices Rashid and Shahab were arrested. The police said that the suspect was wanted in connection with several robberies in Defence and Clifton, and claimed to have seized weapons and a large quantity of stolen property, including two cars.

According to neighbourhood residents, policemen dressed in civilian clothing and riding in two Alto cars arrived at about 8.30am at the three-storey house (# 776) in Sector D, owned by navy official Khalid Anwar. They went upstairs where the suspect and his family had been living for about two months, after which residents heard several gunshots.

One of the cars claimed by the police to have been stolen property was a Honda Accord that remained parked in front of the house until late into the day. Residents who have become familiar with the car over the past weeks said that it initially bore an ‘applied for registration’ number plate, which was later replaced by another one proclaiming ‘Khan 1,’ before finally being swapped for a ‘APG 143 Sindh’ number plate.

“The wounded SI was taken to hospital in a private car,” said a resident, Waqar, adding that he was going to work on his motorcycle but lingered to witness the unfolding drama.

Another resident said that the dead suspect’s wife and a niece were also taken away by the police but his old mother was spared. According to another account, the two women were the suspect’s sisters. A hijab-clad woman was witnessed walking up and down the lane while talking on her cellphone, accompanied by a bearded man. Both were taken away by the police.

Residents of the area, activists of a political group and policemen began to gather at the spot soon after the operation seemed to be over. The police officials included SSP Aleem Jaffery of Bin Qasim Town, DIG-South Javed Bukhari and DIG-East Zubair Mahmood. There was initially no police mobile at the scene but they soon came pouring in until over a dozen police vehicles, including mobiles from Darakhshan and Boat Basin police stations, were on the spot.

Fearing further violence, residents brought home their children from the nearby Al-Habib Grammar school.

The owner of the house, Mr Anwar, was unaware of what was going on when he arrived from work at about 2pm. He cracked a joke upon seeing people gathered at the street corner but upon being told of the shootout in his house, he broke into a sweat.