KARACHI, Jan 27: An exchange of gunfire between two political groups in a Gulistan-i-Jauhar locality resulted in the killing of a dried fruit seller as he along with a customer got caught in the crossfire, police said on Friday.

They said that the shootout took place late on Thursday night near Noman Grand City in Gulistan-i-Jauhar's Block 17 within the remit of the Sharea Faisal police station.

They said that members of the two political groups had a quarrel over pasting of posters in the area that led to an exchange of fire.

They said that both groups traded fire and some bullets hit the 37-year-old dried fruit seller, Habibullah, and his customer Khalid Sikandar. They were rushed to the Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre, where Habibullah died. However, Khalid was admitted to hospital for treatment.

None of those involved in the firing were arrested.

Till late on Friday night, no case was registered at the Sharea Faisal police station regarding the killing.

'Wanted' man found

shot dead

The trussed-up body of a young man was found in the Landhi area late on Thursday night, police said.

They said that the body was found in the bushes in Sector 44-C. The body was trussed-up and sustained a bullet wound in the head, the police said.

The victim was later identified as 30-year-old Rana Dil Muhammad, a resident of Madina Colony in Korangi.The Landhi police said that he was wanted in several criminal cases pertaining to armed robberies.

They said that it appeared that his accomplices killed him after developing differences.

A case (FIR 19/2012) was registered under Sections 302 (premeditated murder) and 34 (common intention) of the Pakistan Penal Code on a complaint of the deceased's brother, Muhammad Shahid, at the Landhi police station against unidentified persons.

Kidnapped boy recovered, two held

A six-year-old boy, who had been kidnapped for ransom two days ago, was recovered and two suspected kidnappers were arrested in a police raid carried out in the Sachal area on Friday, police said.

A team of the Anti-Violent Crime Cell carried out the raid and claimed to have arrested Akbar Shah and Obaid Shah after a shoot-out.

A pistol was also found in the possession of the suspects, they added.

The police also claimed to have recovered the boy, Farhan Zaheer, son of an industrialist who had been kidnapped in the Gulshan-i-Iqbal area two days back.

The police said that the kidnappers had contacted the victim boy's family and asked them to pay Rs10 million as ransom for the safe release of the boy.

A case (FIR 48/2012) was registered under Section 365-A (kidnapping for ransom) of the PPC at the Gulshan-i-Iqbal police station on a complaint of the victim's family.