Committee formed to investigate killing of man by cops in Manghopir

Sindh Inspector General of Police (IGP) Ghulam Nabi Memon has constituted a committee to probe the killing of a newly married man who had returned from Dubai allegedly by police in Karachi’s Manghopir area a few days ago.

Criminal Investigation Agency (CIA) Deputy Inspector General (DIG) Sharjeel Karim Kharal will head the committee that includes Special Investigation Unit (SIU) chief SSP Junaid Ahmed Shaikh, Anti-Violent Crime Cell (AVCC) SSP Zeeshan Siddiqui, AVCC DSP Mumtaz Magsi, SIU DSP Naeem Ahmed and SIU SHO Shabbir Hussain, reads a notification issued by AIG Operations Captain (retd) Haider Raza.

The committee has been tasked with investigating the incident to establish facts and review the supervisory role of an officer involved in it. It will also review the supervisory and accountability mechanism and recommend measures for improvement in supervision and accountability.

The committee will also fix the responsibilities of negligence and furnish a detailed report to the Sindh inspector general of police (IGP) based on the terms of references within 10 days.

An FIR No 483/23 has already been registered on the request of the deceased person’s brother over the firing of AVLC personnel that resulted in the death of Hashim Magsi and injuries to his friend Shahzad in the Manghopir area on July 12.

A senior police officer has been detained and three cops remain at large following suspicion of their involvement in the murder of Magsi who had recently married and returned from Dubai after 16 years.

Qamar, district superintendent of police (DSP) and District Central incharge of the AVLC, was apprehended as a key suspect in the killing of the newly-married man. The arrests of ASI Mukhtiar Pathan and two other cops are yet to be made.

According to initial investigations, a police party headed by DSP Qamar opened fire on Magsi and his friend for not stopping their motorcycle at an unauthorised picket in the Manghopir area while they were returning home after visiting a shrine.

The 30-year-old Magsi died and his friend was injured in the shooting. ASI Pathanis also alleged to be the key suspect and has been on the run along with two other cops since the incident.

The weapons used in the murder, including a machine gun, have been seized and a police mobile has been impounded.

The Manghopir police said Magsi, son of Sikandar, was married a year ago. They added that Hashim and his friend were returning home on a motorcycle after visiting a shrine when they were signalled to pull over at a picket. However, the AVLC team fired shots at them when they did not stop. The police said the AVLC team, which denied their involvement in the incident, had set up the picket without informing them or their seniors.

DSP remanded

A court on Friday granted four-day police remand of the AVLC DSP arrested for his alleged involvement in a firing incident that left a motorcyclist dead and his companion wounded in the Manghopir area.

The investigating officer produced detained DSP Qamar before the Judicial Magistrate (West) and requested grant of his physical remand in police custody for interrogation.

The IO stated that the suspect is to be investigated about the incident, for which his physical remand was required.

The defence counsel, on the other hand, argued that his client was not present at the scene, adding that his vehicle was used in the alleged offence and the vehicle is routinely given for operation or snap checking.

The counsel said the key suspects are on the run while his client was arrested for no reason, opposing the police’s remand plea.

The magistrate however granted four-day remand of the suspect with a direction to the IO to produce him on the completion of the remand along with progress report.