Police to fix responsibility in August 25 Gadap shootout ‘in a day or two’

The autopsy report of the teenager who was killed in crossfire between police officials and drug peddlers in the August 25 Gadap Town raid has been submitted to the investigators, but the responsibility for the incident will be fixed within two days, The News has learnt.

Bilal Azeem was shot dead in crossfire during a drug raid in the Gadap City police jurisdiction, where a team of law enforcers raided the drug den of notorious criminal Ibrahim. The police had arrested two criminals during the operation.

However, due to the teenager’s death, Karachi Additional Inspector General of Police Amir Ahmed Shaikh formed an investigating team led by East Range Deputy Inspector General of Police (DIG) Amir Farooqi, with the order to submit a detailed inquiry report.  

Autopsy report

On Monday the medical team of the Abbasi Shaheed Hospital submitted their post-mortem examination report to the investigation staff that states: “Memorandum of post-mortem examination held at the Karachi mortuary on the dead body of Mohammad Bilal by Dr Mohammad Pervez Anwar Khan.

According to the general particulars provided in the report, the deceased was sent by the station house officer of the Gadap City police station and was brought to the hospital by Sub-Inspector Zahid, while the body was identified by Jumma Khan and Yousuf Khan.

The report also stated that the body was brought dead from the jurisdiction of Gadap City due to firearm injuries suffered during a police encounter, as alleged by the police in their report, with the advice to perform a post-mortem examination to ascertain the cause of death of the male appearing to be 15 or 16 years old.

The examination found out that his features were identifiable, there was no sign of decomposition, his tongue was inside his mouth, his pupils were fixed and there was no bleeding from the mouth, nose or ears.

The examiners found the firearm entry wound to be round-shaped and 1x1 centimetres, with no blackening wound, and the exit wound to be round-shaped and 1.5x1.5cm. “The death was caused by irreversible shock leading to cardio-pulmonary failure as a result of the firearm injuries on the left arm, the chest and the right arm.”  

Responsibility

DIG Farooqi told The News that the post-mortem examination report was submitted to the investigation staff, who shall go through its technicalities and fix responsibility in a day or two.

Farooqi said that on Monday an inspection of the area where the encounter took place and the statements of the witnesses revealed that there is a factory that manufactures the notorious drugs Ice and Crystal. He said he has issued orders for the factory to be immediately demolished.

The DIG said he also found out that some police officers of the locality are hand in glove with criminals, adding that he has suspended five officials of the relevant police station and initiated an inquiry against them. He said he has sent the officials to the police headquarters.

Farooqi said District Malir Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Shiraz Nazeer has been tasked with an inquiry and directed to compile a report on the presence of narcotic dens in the area.

The DIG said the SSP has been told to file a source report that confirms the presence of drug mafia in the Afghan Camp locality, where women used to sell narcotics, as well as in its adjoining areas.

He said they have planned a comprehensive operation in these areas to rid the district of the menace of narcotics.

Four FIRs

The shootout had resulted in the registration of four first information reports (FIRs). DIG Farooqi said the first was lodged on behalf of the state under sections of arson, police encounter and attempted murder as well as under Section 7 of the Anti-Terrorism Act.

The second FIR was lodged on the complaint of the deceased teenager’s mother, the third was registered against the accused from whom narcotics were seized and the fourth was lodged against the accused on whom weapons were found, added the DIG.

Farooqi said he had summoned all the police officials that participated in the raid and their statements have been recorded, adding that they were also asking the locals to provide eyewitness accounts.