KARACHI, Jan 26: A suspected dacoit was killed and his alleged accomplice arrested on Monday in what the police described as a shootout in Orangi Town.

The police said two constables – Fateh Din and Haji Khan – were patrolling the locality on their motorcycle when at around 9am they spotted three suspects riding a motorcycle.

They said the suspects tried to ride away when they saw the policemen.

The police said the suspect opened fire on the policemen, who also retaliated.

They said one of the dacoits was killed and constable Fateh Din was slightly wounded in the shootout.

The police said that one of the suspects was arrested and a third suspect fled on his motorcycle.

The body of the 30-year-old suspect and the wounded constable were shifted to the Abbasi Shaheed Hospital.

Sources at the hospital’s medico-legal section told Dawn that the killed suspect had received a single bullet to his chest and the wound proved fatal.

They said a bullet grazed the back of the constable who was discharged from the hospital after treatment.

The police said the killed suspect was identified as Saifullah, son of Nasarullah, a resident of Sector 15-D in Orangi Town.

They said the arrested suspect was identified as Asghar Ali, son of Nadeem, a resident of Sector 11-C.

The police said two pistols were seized from the killed and arrested suspects.

The police said the killed suspect was earlier arrested by the Pakistan Bazaar police in a robbery case and he had come out of jail recently after being granted bail by a court.

The Orangi Town police registered a case (FIR77/2009) against the three suspects under sections 324 (attempt to kill), 353 (assault to deter public servants from discharge of their duty) and 34 (common intention) on behalf of the state.

They said two separate cases (FIRs 78 and 79) were registered against the killed and arrested suspects under Section 13-D of the Arms Ordinance for possessing illegal weapons.

The police said the absconding accomplice of the suspects was identified as Waqar alias Vikki.

Meanwhile, a suspected dacoit was critically wounded following a shootout with Ferozabad police, who seized from him an unlicensed TT pistol.

The police said the suspect was identified as Asad, 30, a resident of Landhi.

Jamshed Town SP Javed Akbar Riaz told Dawn that two suspects were spotted by two policemen patrolling the locality on their motorbike.

He said the policemen signaled the suspects to stop, but they sped up.

He said the fleeing dacoits opened fire on the policemen who also returned fire.

The SP said the suspect riding pillion was hit and fell to the ground, while his accomplice sped away.

The wounded suspect was shifted to the Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre.

Sources at the hospital’s medico-legal section told Dawn that the 30-year-old suspect received a bullet in the abdomen.

They said the wounded suspect was shifted to the intensive-care unit after he was operated upon.

The police said the suspect was also booked and arrested in two robbery cases registered by New Town and Gulshan-i-Iqbal police.

They said the suspect’s elder brother was also booked and arrested in a robbery case and he was at present in judicial custody.

Child drowns in manhole

A 16-month-old boy fell to his death into an open manhole in Bhitai Colony, Korangi Crossing, on Monday.

Residents said the child, Shayan, son of Shakeel, was playing near Shamim Masjid when he fell into one of the many open manholes in the locality at around 4pm.

They said Shakeel, a factory worker and resident of D/813, who was father of three sons, was now left with only one son as he had earlier lost a three-year-old son to another uncovered manhole.

The residents said they had drawn the attention of the area councilor and cantonment board officials to the open manholes several times but they took no heed of their appeals.

The victim’s body was retrieved from the manhole by residents and later it was shifted to the Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre for medico-legal proceedings.

Carjackings

As many as 27 vehicles – nine cars and 18 motorcycles – and 35 cellular phones were taken away by the evening on Monday in different parts of the city.

Officials at the Citizens-Police Liaison Committee (CPLC) told Dawn that two cars were snatched at gunpoint in the police limits of Shah Faisal Colony and Sohrab Goth.

They said seven other cars were stolen in the police jurisdictions of Gizri, Azizabad, Jamshed Quarters, Ferozabad, Sir Syed Town, North Nazimabad and Preedy.

The CPLC officials said four motorcycles were snatched at gunpoint in Surjani Town, Gulberg, North Nazimabad and Sharea Faisal.

They said 14 other motorcycles were stolen in the police limits of Jauharabad, Azizabad, Bahadurabad, New Town, Ferozabad, Zaman Town, Nazimabad, Liaquatabad, Baghdadi, New Karachi Industrial Area, Sir Syed Town, Risala and Preedy.

Besides, the officials said, 22 cellular phones were snatched at gunpoint and 13 others stolen by the evening on Monday in different parts of the city.

They said as many as 34 vehicles – six cars and 28 motorbikes – and 47 cellular phones were taken away on Sunday across the city.