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| Six killed as police fail to stop Lyari gang war |
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Thursday, May 08, 2008
Forty police mobiles, 100 law-enforcement personnel, and some Armoured Personnel Carriers (APCs) failed to make any arrests or even stop a gang war in Lyari that has damaged property, and has left six people dead and several others injured. The battle involved the Lyari gangster groups of Rehman Dakait and Ghaffar Zikri.
Sources said that on Monday accomplices of Ghaffar Zikri’s kidnapped Rehman Dakait’s brother-in-law, Aslam, from Lyari. The latter was severely tortured and killed. His body was then dumped in an area within the jurisdiction of the Baghdadi police station.
To avenge the murder, Dakait directed his commander, Baba Ladla, to attack areas controlled by Ghaffar Zikri. Around 11:30 a.m. Wednesday, Dakait’s aides entered Gul Mohammad Lane, Ali Mohammad Mohallah and Edu Lane, and ordered shopkeepers and vendors to shut their businesses. The gangsters also resorted to aerial firing to scare people off.
Meanwhile, Zikri’s men also entered the fray and a heavy gun-battle ensued. The gangsters also lobbed hand grenades and fired rockets at each other. Baba, an accomplice of Zikri’s, was killed in the crossfire.
The battle then shifted to the Ali Mohammad Mohallah, where another accomplice of Zikri’s, Akhtar (alias Aku), was injured. Dakait’s commander, Jabbar (alias Jeango), Salamu and other accomplices, also launched attacks in Shah Baig Lane and Ali Mohammed Mohallah, injuring several passers-by. Six people were killed. Four of them were shifted to the Civil Hospital Karachi (CHK). Three of them were identified as Riaz (alias Rehan), Ali Mohammed and Zakir. Two bodies were sent to the Lyari General hospital. Five people were also injured. They were identified as Yasin, Bilal, Ali Mohammed, Rahim Bux and Sajjad Gull.
After a lapse of three to four hours, at about 03:00 p.m., the Lyari Town police came in with around 40 mobiles and some Armoured Personnel Carriers (APCs). They informed area residents that they had come to launch a grand operation against the gangster groups.
Residents alleged, however, that the police did not enter the affected areas, where crossfire continued. They also protested against the police and claimed that the operation was only against the Ghaffar Zikri group. They questioned why the police were not capturing Rehman Dakait’s areas.
Sources said that the police stopped the operation at about 06:00 p.m. No arrests were made by the Operational Force comprising over a hundred personnel.
Police officials said that after law-enforcement personnel “rushed” to the affected areas, the gangsters put up stiff resistance. Hand grenades were lobbed at the police party, killing six people and injuring five others, eyewitnesses said.
SP Lyari Town, Imran Shaukat, said that two gangsters were killed in the clashes, including Allah Daad, an accomplice of Dakait’s. Seven persons were also injured, he said, adding that no police official was harmed, nor was any police vehicle damaged.
SP Shaukat said that in the incident no police official was injured and no police vehicle was damaged.
Until last reports came in, however, the gang war was continuing full-swing.
A house-to-house search has been planned for Thursday. —SBP
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ISSN 1563-9479 
