Two members of car-lifting gang arrested

The Anti-Car Lifting Cell (ACLC) on Tuesday claimed to have arrested two members of an interprovincial gang of car lifters and recovered vehicles from them.

According to ACLC Karachi chief SSP Munir Ahmed Shaikh, the city police chief had directed them to curb the menace of vehicle crime from the city. The SSP added that teams were formed with directions to expand their intelligence network.

During the process, ACLC officials were checking vehicles near Tahir Villa, Gulberg and signalled for a vehicle to stop. However, upon seeing the police, the suspects opened fire and accelerated the car. Officials gave chase and after a brief resistance arrested two suspects, Dur Mohammad Brohi, the gang leader, and his associate Tariq Hussain, while two other accomplices Shahzad Abbasi and Rashid escaped from the spot.

During a search of the vehicle, officials recovered two TT pistols of 30 bore, ammunition and two kilogrammes of hashish. SSP Shaikh said that Brohi, the gang leader, was a notorious criminal who has been involved in cases since 2008. This was his seventh arrest. He was earlier arrested in 36 cases and was jailed but later bailed out, and is an absconder in 20 cases.

Shaikh said they were screening his criminal record to check on what grounds he managed to get bail to ensure that he doesn’t get bail in new cases. The SSP further said that the suspect used to snatch or steal vehicles of the latest model, especially Suzuki Mehran, and he personally possesses a master key as well as a device that deactivates the tracker devices from the stolen vehicle.

He stole vehicles almost daily from Gulberg, Shadman Town and Federal B Area of District Central and has till now stolen more than 1,500 vehicles. Based on information provided by Brohi, ACLC officials recovered five Suzuki Mehran cars which were the stolen properties of Gulberg, Taimuria and Sir Syed Police Stations.

Arrests

Meanwhile, during targeted operations, the paramilitary Rangers force arrested two street criminals involved in more than 280 cases of a similar nature.

The association leaders further claimed that the police officials are also supporting and helping these land grabbers and fake cases are being registered against those who are raising their voices against them.

They alleged that Zone East DIG Amir Farooqi and District West SSP Dr Rizwan Khan are also playing their role to support these criminals. The association leaders appealed to the chief justice of Pakistan, the army chief, Sindh governor and chief minister as well as the Rangers DG and Sindh IGP to take action against the land grabbers and their supporters.

On the other hand, one of the named police officials strongly denied the allegations. “It is all a made up story to give cover to Hafiz Ahmed Ali, who has a criminal history and is involved in 25 criminal cases,” DIG Farooqi told The News. “SSP West Dr Rizwan arrested a person who during interrogation revealed the involvement of Hafiz Ahmed Ali in land grabbing and target killing of opponents.”

According to the DIG, an attempt was made on the life of a person, and Hafiz is also nominated in that FIR. “He (Hafiz) is exerting pressure to get himself exonerated from the charges. He himself was picked by Rangers few months back on charges of land grabbing,” he said. SSP Khan could not be reached for comment despite repeated attempts.