KARACHI, Dec 23: Police gunned down four alleged gangsters in Lyari late Thursday on the eve of Eid.

The three-day Eid celebration in Baghdadi area was marred by the severe shootout that resulted in killing of four men who were said to be involved in extortion and trade of arms and drugs.

A police official said Babar Ladla and Ghaffar Zikri groups exchanged fire on Ahmed Shah Bukhari Road on Thursday evening. The fierce gun battle pushed the police to move but they could only manage to force one of the gangs retreat.

SP Fayyaz Khan of Lyari Town said: “Ghaffar Zikri gangsters didn’t surrender and opted to challenge the police party.

They opened fire on policemen when the latter tried to disburse them,” he said, adding that this forced police to reciprocate.

He said that Umeed Ali alias Lala, Rauf alias Lala, Palan Mirani and Nadir Kachi, the alleged members of the Ghaffar Zikri group, were killed in the firing.

Eyewitnesses said the four deceased were in their mid 20s. They said a couple of them were also seen in electioneering.

However, police ruled out such observation and said only one of them was involved in wall-chalking for a separatist movement, Balochistan Liberation Army.

“They all were wanted by the police in more than a dozen cases registered against them in almost all police stations of Lyari Town,” the SP Lyari Town said.

He said the two groups became active during the last one month that caused increase in clashes on the issues like extortion and drugs trade.