KARACHI, May 15: Police on Thursday registered a case against unknown persons who set on fire three suspected bandits after a robbery in Ranchhore Line on Wednesday.

Three bandits were ruthlessly beaten up by a mob and then burnt alive on Nishtar Road close to the Timber Market as police played the role of silent spectators.

Area people also prevented Edhi workers from rescuing the suspects while they were on fire.

“We have registered an FIR on behalf of the state against unknown people who set fire to three suspects and took the law into their own hands,” Saddar SP Dr Amir Shaikh told Dawn.

In what may be described as a delayed reaction to Wednesday’s gruesome incident, the station house officer of the Eidgah police station was suspended for his inaction.

Sources close to the Central Police Office told Dawn that at a high-level meeting on Thursday it was decided that the persons involved in immolating the three suspects would be brought to book.

In the first stage, photographs, video footage and cellphone photos capturing the crime scene will be acquired as part of evidence, a senior police officer said.

However, it would be an uphill task to record statements of the witnesses present at the horrible incident, conceded a senior police official.

So far, four FIRs have been registered about Wednesday’s incident. The first FIR was registered on the complaint of Akbar, owner of the house where the bandits had barged in and committed the robbery.

The second and third FIRs were registered under the arms ordinance as two pistols were seized from the suspects.

The fourth FIR was registered on behalf of the state against unknown persons who had put the three suspects on fire. The sources told Dawn that the police failure to prevent the crime is also being pushed under the rug.

Had the police taken a decisive move against the mob, the suspects could have at least been rescued from being burnt to death.

On the other hand, the Saddar SP said that their policemen were also badly beaten up by the crowd and they had reported for duty after being treated for their sores and injuries.

One of the suspects, who later died in hospital, was identified as Babar, son of Sultan. He was identified on Wednesday. Another suspect was identified as Mohammad Shaukat, son of Asif Ashfaq, on Thursday. Both suspects are residents of the Trans Lyari area, police said.

Wednesday’s violent incident was prompted by a robbery in a third-floor apartment in Sumaiya Palace on Nishtar Road.

The robbery victims raised hue and cry to draw public attention to the robbery.

As the suspects tried to escape into the narrow streets opening fire on the people chasing them, the suspects were also fired upon by people pursuing them.

The suspects sustained bullet wounds and were finally caught by the chasers. Once they were cornered, the suspects were beaten up by people, who hit them with everything they could lay their hands on.