By By our correspondent
Four people, including three minors, were killed after unidentified miscreants resorted to aerial firing in different parts of the city following the Pakistani cricket team victory in the Twenty20 World Cup in London.
Seven-year-old Arnold Alee, son of Arif Masih, died from a stray bullet wound in Sharifabad police limits. Sharifabad Station House Officer (SHO) Mohsin Raza said that the incident occurred late Sunday night, during celebrations of Pakistan’s World Cup victory.
He said that the minor had gone to the roof of his house to watch the celebrations, but lost his life after a bullet hit him and he fell over the roof. He was rushed to Abbasi Shaheed Hospital (ASH), where doctors pronounced him dead upon arrival. The family took Alee’s body back home for funeral formalities, but the family noticed that he moved his legs. The family immediately rushed to Ziauddin Hospital, where doctors said that the boy had died only fifteen minutes before.
The family has launched a protest and demanded an inquiry over the incident. The deceased was a student of Class-I, and a resident of Christian Colony, Sharifabad. A case was reported at the police station.
Eight-year-old Shehnaz, daughter of Mohammed Shafiq, also fell victim of a stray bullet in Nazimabad police limits. The police said that Shehnaz, a student of Class-II, was standing on the roof of her house, situated in Mujahid Colony, when she was hit by a stray bullet. A case has been reported at the police station.
In other fatalities from stray bullets, Subhan was killed in Liaquatabad Town, while Dhani Bux was reportedly killed in Safoora Goth. Cases were registered at the police stations concerned.
MIRZA DIRECTS POLICE TO HALT AERIAL FIRING AT WEDDINGS: Sindh Home Minister Dr Zulfiqar Mirza has directed the police to take immediate measures to curtail the rising trend of aerial firing at marriage ceremonies and other celebrations.
In a statement issued on Monday, Mirza directed the police to involve the organisers of such ceremonies in the charge-sheets and ensure legal action against them. He further said that awareness should be created among the citizens with the cooperation and suggestion of area notables, social workers and others.
Mirza warned that SHOs, duty officers and patrolling police mobiles and personnel would be held responsible for casualties due to aerial firing at these ceremonies, while departmental action would be taken against them for negligence in this regard.
He also asked citizens to avoid such prohibited activities, saying that aerial firing at wedding ceremonies is an illegal act, and must be ended. He urged citizens to inform Madadgar-15 or a nearby police station about firing incidents on such occasions.
Meanwhile, the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) has strongly condemned the instances of aerial firing that were reported from most areas of Karachi.