Retired Rangers officer killed in grenade attack on bakery

A shop owner, who was also a retired Rangers official, lost his life on Wednesday after unidentified men hurled a Russian grenade at a shop in Karachi’s Sacchal Goth area.

According to police, the incident took place at a bakery, Hunzila Bakers and Sweets, located in Bilawal Shah Noorani Goth within the jurisdiction of the Sacchal police station. Following the incident, a contingent of law enforcers including police and Rangers reached the crime scene and cordoned off the area. The deceased was identified as Malik Ashiq Husain, 68, son of Ameer Khan, who was a retired Rangers inspector, said SHO Safdar Abbasi.

Quoting initial investigations, the SHO said the incident looked like an act of terrorism as the grenade exploded with a loud bang, causing panic and fear among the people nearby. The blast also caused damage to the bakery.

The deceased was a resident of the same area. According to witnesses, they heard a loud explosion and found the shop owner with critical injuries. He was taken to a nearby hospital where he succumbed to his injuries. Experts from the bomb disposal squad also reached the bakery and examined it. According to experts, it was a Russian RGD1 hand grenade that was thrown at the place.

Following the incident, Sacchal SHO Safdar Abbasi was suspended while Haroon Korai was appointed as the new chief of the police station. A show cause notice was also issued to DSP Fateh Shaikh. CCTV footage of the attack has also been obtained which shows motorcyclists throwing the grenade at the bakery and escaping afterwards.