KARACHI, Oct 22: Five men, including a police constable and a political activist, were shot dead in the city on Monday, police said.

They said that a suspected bandit was killed and two employees of a workshop were wounded during a robbery attempt in the old city area on Monday evening.

Police said that two armed men entered the workshop located at Yousaf Plaza in Bolton Market and held the employees at gunpoint.

“One of the workers opened fire in self defence and the bullet hit one of the men in the face. The second suspect also opened fire and then managed to escape,” said ASP Usman Bajwa.

He said that two employees of the shop were also wounded in the firing by the other bandit.

The wounded suspect died. He could not be identified till late in the night.

The police recovered a pistol and a purse from his possession. It appeared that the purse found in his possession was earlier snatched from someone else, the area ASP said.

The body of the suspect was moved to the Civil Hospital Karachi for medico-legal formalities. The wounded were also taken to hospital for treatment.

Policeman shot dead in Manghopir

A policeman was shot dead and his associate was wounded in the Manghopir area on Monday, police said.

With the latest killing, the number of policemen killed in the current year has reached 67.

The police said that the attack took place within the remit of the Manghopir police station, when gunmen opened fire on a police van of the Mohafiz force.

As a result of firing, police constables Syed Riaz Hussain Shah, 37, suffered fatal gunshot wounds and died on the spot. Assistant Sub-Inspector Mohammad Mumtaz, 46, also suffered a bullet wound in the foot.

The wounded was rushed to the Civil Hospital Karachi for treatment.

“We increased police patrolling in the area due to the recent firing incident at a bus carrying workers of an industrial unit. The police mobile was taking position when they came under attack,” said SSP Amir Farooqui, who is currently holding the charge of DIG West.

During the past two days, the police team had made some arrests in the area, he added.

SPY activist killed

An activist of the Sindh People’s Youth was gunned down in Surjani Town in the early hours of Monday, police said.

They added that Adil Lashari, 35, was passing through the Yousaf Goth area on a motorcycle when he was shot at and wounded.

The victim was rushed to the Civil Hospital Karachi where he died during treatment, the officials said.

The police quoted party sources as saying that the victim was general secretary of the Sindh People’s Youth B-47 unit.

A large number of party workers reached the hospital, where the news of the victim’s death during treatment resulted in a breakdown of law and order. Subsequently, police and Rangers were called to deal with the situation in the early hours of Monday.

Money changer gunned down

A money changer was shot dead in the old city area in the early hours of Monday, police said.

They added that the Mohammad Shoaib, 30, sustained four gunshot wounds in a drive-by shooting in Jodia Bazaar. He was taken to the Civil Hospital Karachi where he died during treatment.

Body found

A young man was found shot dead in Nazimabad, police said.

They added that the body was found stuffed in a gunny bag in Mujahid Colony near Chawla Market. The victim had been shot twice in the head, the police said.

The body was shifted to Abbasi Shaheed Hospital for medico-legal formalities.

Later, it was taken to the Edhi morgue for want of identification. The victim’s identity, however, had not been ascertained till Monday evening, the police added.