KARACHI, Oct 18: Police on Tuesday claimed to have arrested a suspected hit man, said to be involved in the targeted killings of 42 people, after an encounter in a Clifton area. Dawn

Clifton SHO Shafeeq Tanoli told that the suspected hit man, Asif Iqbal, was arrested following a shoot-out and illegal weapons and two grenades were recovered from him.

He said five cases (FIR Nos 265 to 269 of 2011) pertaining to an encounter with police, possessing illicit weapons and two grenades were registered against him under the Pakistan Penal Code, the Pakistan Arms Ordinance, 1965 and the Explosive Act on behalf of the state at the Clifton police station on Tuesday.

The police said that one 7mm rifle, two TT pistols, two hand grenades and a motorcycle were recovered from the possession of the suspect.

The police encounter that led to the arrest of the suspect took place within the remit of the Clifton police station. The suspect was also said to be involved in the murder case of Naveed Tanoli, a brother to the SHO of the Clifton police station.

SHO Tanoli said that the suspect allegedly confessed to his involvement in the kidnapping and killing of five people whose bullet-riddled bodies had been found in a minibus in a Gulshan-i-Iqbal locality a few months ago.

He said that the suspected hit man was also involved in a 1994 attack on the Mobina Town police station in which two policemen and as many attackers were killed.

Weapons found in graveyard

Police on Tuesday recovered a cache of illegal arms and ammunition after digging a grave in a Liaquatabad graveyard.

Acting on a tip-off, the police dug up a grave in the C-1 Area graveyard in Liaquatabad and recovered two AK-47 assault rifles, one 7mm rifle, one repeater gun and 120 rounds.

No FIR was lodged till late in the night at the Super Market police station.