CTD Sindh arrests militants of banned LeJ

KARACHI: Personnel of the Counter Terrorism Department (CTD), Sindh, claimed to have arrested three suspects, including two activists of the banned Lashkar-e-Jhangvi (LeJ), involved in a number of target killings.

In-charge CTD Khurram Waris said that the investigation regarding terrorism cases is underway during which an informant tipped him that members of a banned outfit were present in the Jackson area. Acting on information, police raided an area near the KPT Fire Station, Jackson. On seeing the police, the accused opened fire, which was retaliated, and after an encounter Mohammed Umer alias Jani and Mohammed Salman were arrested with two TT pistols. The accused were shifted to the investigation unit for probe.

During the investigation, it was found that the accused belong to the banned LeJ and initially confessed to several sectarian killings and attacks on Imambargahs. The accused had attacked Imambargah Kazmeen in the Rizvia area. The accused had murdered one Zubair in the Taimuria police remit.

The accused had also attacked a procession in New Karachi and murdered the owner of a puncture shop in the Rizvia Society a few months before. Further investigations are underway. Also, Khurram Waris said that his team had raided a hideout of Lyari gangsters near Shahnawaz Chowk, Baghdadi. On seeing the police, the gangsters opened fire which was retaliated and after a shootout arrested Adnan alias Daada with a pistol while his associates fled.

The accused is a close aide of notorious gangster Shiraz Comrade and is involved in a number of target killings and other crimes. The accused had recently killed a person in the Chakiwara area and confessed to his involvement in the kidnapping of 10 to 15 people from buses during violence spree in Karachi. These kidnapped people were later handed over to Shiraz Comrade who were later killed and their bodies were dumped in different parts of the city.  Further investigations are underway.