Retired traffic policeman shot dead, brother injured by robbers

A retired police inspector was shot dead and two other people, including his brother, wounded on Monday when they resisted a robbing bid in a Baldia Town locality.

The incident occurred at Al-Ghazi Hotel located near Pakora Chowk in Baldia Town No. 9, where the Ittehad Town police found three men in an injured condition and took them to the Civil Hospital Karachi.

The injured were identified as Siddiq Sharif, 65, his brother Shafiq Sharif, 43, and Khayal Lal, 30. Siddiq Sharif, however, succumbed to his injuries during treatment. According to District West SSP Shaukat Khatiyan, the deceased was a retired traffic police sub-inspector and he also owned the hotel where the incident had occurred.

Police said the incident occurred when two men on a motorcycle arrived at the hotel and started robbing mobile phones and cash from the customers at gunpoint, adding that they opened fire when they observed resistance.

Police also said that before the robbery at the hotel, the suspects had snatched a motorcycle, a mobile phone and cash from a man named Bilal in the Madina Colony area, adding that they snatched another motorbike from a man named Saleem after the one they were riding slipped as they were fleeing from the hotel.

The law enforcers said they found two empty shells of 30-bore pistols and sent them to the forensic division of the Sindh police for ballistics cross-matching. Police have registered a case and initiated further investigations. Sindh police chief Dr Syed Kaleem Imam took notice of the incident and sought a detailed report from the District West SSP.

Minor wounded

A 10-year-old boy was injured in a firing incident that took place in Sherpao Colony, said the Quaidabad police. The injured boy was later identified as Zahir Shah, son of Hijrat Khan. The injured boy was taken to the Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre. Citing the information gathered during their initial investigations, police said the incident apparently occurred over offering resistance during a mugging bid.

Rangers arrest five suspected criminals

The Sindh Rangers on Monday claimed to have arrested five suspects during raids in different parts of the city. According to a Rangers spokesperson, two suspects were arrested during a raid conducted on a tip-off in Zaman Town. The suspects, Shafiqur Rehman and Omair, were said to be involved in various cases of extortion.

During another raid in the Sir Syed Colony area, Imran, Omar alias Shahrukh and Adnan were apprehended for their involvement in drug peddling. The soldiers also claimed to have seized drugs, arms and ammunition from the suspects. They were later handed over to police for further legal proceedings.