Religious scholar’s alleged killer, MQM-London hitman arrested

The Anti Violent Crime Cell (AVCC) of the Karachi police claimed to have arrested a suspected target killer allegedly involved in various cases of target killings, including the assassination of Jamia Binoria Uloomia vice-president Mufti Abdul Majeed Deenpuri and policemen, in the city.

According to AVCC chief Fida Hussain Janwari, the suspect arrested was identified as Syed Shahadat Hussain alias Pir, who was involved in various cases of target killings, including the killing of Deenpuri on Sharea Faisal in 2013, the killing of two traffic police wardens in Soldier Bazaar and two religious party workers and a vegetable vendor in AB Sina Lines.

Mufti Deenpuri was shot dead along with his colleague, Mufti Saleh, and a seminary student, Hassan Ali, on Sharea Faisal near Nursery on January 31, 2013. The attack was captured by CCTV cameras installed nearby. Police officials sent the footage to London police’s Photography Forensic Division to help them identify the culprits as the London police have advanced software that can magnify pictures without altering their quality.

AVCC officials said that apart from the target killings, the suspect along with his companions was also involved in various cases of robberies in parts of the city, adding that the cases against the suspect had been registered while the police were looking for his absconding companions.

MQM-L hitman held

Police claimed to have arrested a suspected member of a political party for his alleged involvement in various cases of target killings. Mobina Town police arrested the suspected member of the Muttahida Qaumi Movement-London along with his companion.

According to District Malir SSP Irfan Bahadur, the suspects were arrested when the police conducted a raid on a tip-off near PCSIR Society. The suspects were identified as Abbas alias Chadda and Masood alias Bablu.

They, according to SSP Bahadur, have admitted to their involvement in various cases of target killings during the initial course of interrogation. Abbas alias Chadda is said to be a member of a target killers’ team of the MQM-London’s Malir Unit 99. Abbas had also killed two people on suspicion of being police informants in the Saudabad area in 2004 and also killed his neighbourer, Sheraz, in the Malir area.

Police officials said that Masood was arrested on the information provided by the already arrested suspect, Abbas, adding that the suspects had also been involved in other murders and attempts to murder. Their crime data was being gathered by the police.

The police claimed to have seized arms, ammunition and hand grenades from the possession of those arrested. The cases were registered against them under sections of the anti-terrorism act while the weapons seized from their possession were sent to a laboratory for forensics.

Bank robber caught

AVCC police also claimed to have arrested a suspect allegedly involved in bank robberies in the city. Police said the suspect identified as Asif was arrested during a raid conducted on a tip-off in the SITE area, adding that the police arrested him with the help of CCTV footage.

Asif was alleged to be involved in a Rs3.8 million bank heist in the Landhi area while his three companions were killed during an encounter with the police when he along with his companions were trying to rob a bank in the Korangi area. During the shootout, he was arrested in an injured condition but later he was released on bail.

Sindh IGP Kaleem Imam lauded the performances of the Malir and AVCC police for conducting successful operations.