KARACHI, Sept 29: The on-going gang war between two groups in Lyari took yet another turn when three youngsters were gunned down in two separate incidents on Tuesday night.

Asim Khan, 12, was sitting on the steps of his house near Dubai Chowk in Lyari when his friend Shakil, 13, asked him to accompany him to his grandmother's house, located in Gul Mohammad Lane.

The two boys were kidnapped on the way. Learning about their disappearance, families of both the boys reached the police station. Asim's aunt Maher Bibi lodged an FIR, nominating Sultan alias Maula, Ghaffar alias Zakri, Fida and Abdul Qadir alias Chuttu.

On Wednesday morning, their bodies in naked condition were found near the Lyari General Hospital. Police said that the body of Asim bore two bullet wounds in head and hips. Body of Shakil had two bullet wounds in his chest. Hospital sources said that both the victims were badly tortured before being killed.

Relatives of Asim Khan told Dawn that his father Shambay Khan was on a fishing trip while his seven brothers were in Iran, unaware of what had happened with their youngest brother in Karachi.

Police said that Asim was the relative of Baba Ladla, who was said to be the right hand of Rehman Dakait. Following the recovery of the bodies, tension griped in the entire locality of Lyari and shops and other businesses remained closed. Shakil had four brothers and three sisters.

In another incident which police described as a reaction to the late night killings, three armed men killed Jehanzeb, 13, at the door steps of his house in Eidu Lane. Police said that the boy suffered 16 bullets and died on the spot. Victim's mother Kaniz Fatima was also wounded in the firing.

His brother Abdul Jalil lodged an FIR nominating, police constable Mumtaz, Shahid, Rahim and Noor Mohammad. Police said that Jehanzeb was the younger brother of Shahzad, a former policeman and a close associate of Arshad Pappu. Shahzad was serving a sentence in the jail, they added.

Relatives of Jehanzeb tried to take his body to the Governor's House to register their protest, but the area TPO and SHO persuaded them not to do so. A recent operation against gang of Arshad Pappu which was launched in Jehanabad, Pak Colony, seems to have fizzled out as the gang suffered no dent in the operation. On the other hand, the gang of Rehman Dakait was well entrenched in Lyari and said to be operating in the area with impunity, sources said.

ACCIDENTS: Two persons died in separate accidents on Wednesday. A student died in a hit-and-run accident on M.A. Jinnah Road. Police said that Qadir Buksh, 16, was knocked down by a speeding vehicle in front of Capri Cinema. The victim was rushed to the Civil Hospital, where he was pronounced dead on arrival.