Armed robbers continue to wreak havoc on the city as two more citizens lost their lives in separate incidents of resistance during robberies on Wednesday, bringing the number of mugging victims to 19 this year.
In a daylight robbery near Quidabad Murghi Khana Bridge within the Shah Latif Town police jurisdiction, robbers shot and killed a young man for resisting their mugging bid. The deceased was identified as 35-year-old Babar, son of Guldaraz Khan. According to his family, Babar was a distributor for a well-known beverage company and a father of two children. He was inside his shop when robbers stormed in. Upon resisting and grabbing one of the robbers, an accomplice opened fire, seriously injuring Babar. The victim, who belonged to Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, was the fifth among seven siblings.
Meanwhile, some brave citizens managed to catch one of the robbers and subjected him to severe beating before handing him over to the police. The police took the injured robber to Jinnah Hospital, where he later died.
According to SHO Raja Abbas, the deceased robber was in possession of a 9mm pistol. His identity has not yet been confirmed. The robber’s body was moved to the morgue for identification.
Following the incident, residents staged a protest and blocked the National Highway, demanding action against the rising street crime. They also called for the removal of the Malir SSP, blaming police incompetence for the fearless movement of criminals.
The protesters pointed out that within 24 hours, robbers had killed two innocent citizens in Malir. In a separate incident, a 20-year-old man named Waseem, son of Ahmed, was shot and killed near the Punjab Bus Stand on the Super Highway in Sohrab Goth.
According to SHO Sohail Khaskheli, Waseem was riding his motorcycle when robbers tried to snatch it. Upon resisting, they shot him and fled with the motorbike. He was taken to Abbasi Shaheed Hospital in a critical condition but later succumbed to his injuries.
During the first four days of Ramazan, street criminals have killed four citizens in District East and Malir over resistance. On the first day of fasting, robbers shot and killed 56-year-old Khan Muhammad, a grocery store owner, in Sachal. On Tuesday, robbers killed a citizen named Imran in Shah Latif Town, District Malir.