Two cops suspended as inquiry begins into Nimrah’s killing

The mystery behind the killing of a female medical student, Nimrah Baig, who was died after getting caught in crossfire between police and robbers on February 23 in New Karachi is yet to be solved. But the initial police findings suggest that the 20-year-old was died after being hit by a bullet apparently fired by cops.

The police high-ups have suspended both the policemen and initiated a departmental inquiry against them. A four-member inquiry team submitted a report to Additional IG Karachi Dr Amir Shaikh on Monday, which suggested that Baig, who was a student at the Dow University of Medical Sciences, was apparently killed by the police fire. In the report, the inquiry team also recorded the statements of the policemen who conducted the encounter with the robbers.

The policemen in their recorded statements said the encounter continued for some eight kilometres from Farooq-e-Azam Masjid to Anda Morr in North Karachi, adding that they did not have any idea about the presence of a girl at the spot due to the darkness in the area.

According to the Karachi police spokesperson, the cops also told the inquiry team that they tried their level best to avoid firing, but finally they responded at an isolated place when the robbers opened fire at them.

Both the policemen have been suspended by District Central SSP and legal action has been being taken against them. The four-member team comprises DIG CIA Arif Hanif, Zone West DIG Amin Yousufzai and SSP Special Investigation Unit Noman Siddiqui and SSP Traffic Samiullah Soomro.

The shootout began at Anda Morr when the police party was chasing a group of suspects, who were fleeing after committing robberies. One suspected robber, Riaz Malik, was also killed and another arrested in an injured condition by Shahrah-e- Noor Jahan police. Earlier, the police had claimed that Baig was struck by a bullet fired by the robbers.