KARACHI, April 28: Tension gripped parts of the old city areas, including Kharadar and Lyari, on Thursday when a trader of the neighbourhood kidnapped earlier in the day was found shot dead a few hours later, police said.They said the victim, identified as Zubair Memon alias Bobby, left home in Moosa Lane as his daily routine for the fish harbour but was kidnapped a few yards from his residence.

“He was later found shot dead near the Rahmania Masjid on Mahmood Shah Road within the remit of the Napier police station,” said Mumtaz Shah, the station investigation officer of the Napier police station.

“He was hit by three bullets each in the head, arm and chest. The body was handed over to the family after medico-legal formalities.”

As the news of Memon's murder reached his residential area, tension gripped the neighbourhood and traders pulled down their shutters amid the crackle of gunfire. Transport disappeared from the roads as charged residents took to the streets and chanted slogans against the area police and the 'gangsters' and the 'extortion mafia'.

The Kutchi Rabita Council, a recently formed community-based group, lodged a strong protest saying the victim was as an active member of the KRC. He was under persistent threat for denying extortion to the 'Lyari gangs', claimed the KRC.

“The law and order situation in Lyari and neighbouring localities is worsening with each passing day,” said the KRC spokesman. “But unfortunately the focus of the political and security administrations has been diverted under a planned scheme and criminal elements in the neighbourhood are enjoying backing of the police and some influential individuals.”

Two youngsters shot deadIn Surjani Town, two youngsters were found shot dead.

The area police said the two bullet-riddled bodies were found in Block E of Gulshan-i-Surjani near Taiser Town, a comparatively isolated place in the city's outskirts.

“Both victims were wearing shalwar-kameez and sandals,” said Inspector Musaddiq Rafiq, the SHO of the Surjani Town police station. “They appeared to be Afghans, but it would be a little too early to confirm anything before the investigations complete.”

He said the police found a telephone directory at the crime-scene carrying several contact numbers but the few of them who were contacted showed their unawareness about the victims.

“The bodies were later shifted to the Edhi morgue after medico-legal formalities at the Abbasi Shaheed Hospital for want of identification,” added the SHO of the Surjani Town police station.

Meanwhile, another body was found in a nullah in Azizabad that also remained unidentified.

“It was not in a state to determine any gunshot or torture wounds, neither one could identify the face of the victim. The findings of the medico-legal examination are awaited to trace the cause of the death,” said an Azizabad police station official.