LARKANA: Police claimed to have killed a suspected robber, who had gunned down journalist Athar Mateen in Karachi a few days ago, in an alleged encounter in Larkana on Tuesday.

Police said acting on a tip-off, a joint team of Qambar and Karachi police intercepted the suspect at Noor Wah point, but he resorted to firing in his bid to flee. Police returned fire killing the suspect.

He was later identified as Mohammed Anwar Hassni Brohi, a resident of Khuzdar, Balochistan. A pistol and motorbike were recovered from him.

The body was shifted to the District Headquarters Hospital for medico-legal formalities.

The police said that the suspect had a criminal record with multiple cases registered against him at different police stations in Karachi and other districts.

They said that he was booked in over a dozen FIRs and had been arrested thrice in various cases.

Inspector General of Police Mushtaq Mahar gave Rs4 million cash reward to the members of the police team.

Mateen, 45, a senior producer with Samaa TV, was shot dead by armed robbers during a snatching bid in North Nazimabad on Feb 18. He was returning home after dropping off his children at their school when he witnessed two armed men trying to rob a passer-by. He accelerated his car and hit the motorbike of the robbers, who fell on the road and one of them fired at him and escaped after snatching the motorbike of another passer-by.

The second suspect, Muhammad Ashraf alias Lambo, is already in custody and currently on police remand till March 11.

Published in Dawn, March 2nd, 2022