Three hurt as police clash with citizens protesting rising street crimes

Three people were injured on Sunday as police clashed with residents of Orangi Town who were staging a protest over the increasing number of robberies in the vicinity, Geo News reported.

The area residents had gathered at the Islam Chowk in Orangi Town where they raised slogans against the police force for “protecting the culprits involved in street crimes”. Using burning tyres, the protesters had closed down a main road in their area.

Reports suggested that negotiations were held between police officials and the demonstrators but no resolution could be achieved. As the protest gained intensity and a police mobile was attacked, the police teams deployed at the site resorted to aerial firing and tear gas shelling to disperse the demonstrators.

However, the measures proved inadequate and soon the Rangers were also called in to control the crowd. Once the law enforcers managed to clear the protesters out of the area, traffic flow was resumed in the area. 

There were reports that the incident led to crackdown in the area soon after, as law enforcers conducted a house-to-house search in which around 15 people were arrested. 

Speaking about the protest, District West SSP Nasir Aftab claimed that the area residents “never reported street crimes” and that he was always available to hear out and address the people’s grievances.

Crowd control has remained a persistent problem for the Karachi police. In November last year, residents of nearby localities were virtually cut off from the rest of Karachi as police and Shia protesters demanding the release of their arrested leaders clashed for over ten hours at Malir 15, Sharea Faisal. 

The protesters had blocked the road at Malir 15 causing a massive traffic jam on Sharea Faisal and National Highway. They also blocked the railway track, bringing train movement to a halt.

The police tried negotiating with the protesters but their attempts failed.

After the demonstrators pelted stones at the police, the latter used teargas, fired gunshots in the air and baton-charged the former to disperse them.

Many protesters were also arrested. A couple of policemen were also injured in the clash and around 15 protesters were arrested and 36 motorcycles confiscated.

An FIR against them was registered at the Saudabad police station for arson, creating law and order situation, and damaging public property. However, the FIRs were withdrawn after the Sindh chief minister issued orders to the IGP the same night.