LAHORE – An alleged robber identified as Azam, 32, was shot dead by Islampura Police in an alleged encounter on Sunday night. Azam was wanted by Islampura and Lower Mall Police in nine different cases of dacoity, robbery and street crimes.
Police sources claim that Azam was killed in an encounter by police after being arrested. Contradicting this narrative, police claimed that, late on Sunday night, Azam, along with his accomplice Muhammad Riaz, snatched a motorcycle bearing registration number LEQ-9086 from a citizen.
The robbers, after snatching the bike, reached Sanda Area and snatched a 125CC motorcycle from another citizen and left the earlier snatched bike in Sanda and reached the Sagian Bridge, where they tried to snatch valuables including cash, jewelry and cellular phones from Ghulam Nasir and his family on gunpoint. But Nasir offered resistance and captured Azam on which Riaz got infuriated and tried to kill Nasir by opening indiscriminate firing, which critically injured Azam while the firing also badly damaged Nasir’s car.
Two Mufahiz Squad officials, including Muhammad Qaisar and Ahmed, reached the spot and arrested Riaz along with illegal weapons. City Division Police also reached the spot and rushed Azam to the Mayo Hospital but he succumbed to his injuries. Police removed the body to the morgue for autopsy and started investigating the matter.
Islampura Police, after registering a case on Nasir’s complaint, handed over Riaz to the investigation police for further interrogation. According to sources, Azam’s body was still lying in the morgue and autopsy had not been performed by doctors yet. In another alleged encounter on Monday in the Allama Iqbal Town Police Station precincts, Gulshan-e-Iqbal Police arrested a robber while his two accomplices managed to flee.
The accused was identified as Faizan Zulifqar, a resident of Sabzazar. Police said that Faizan, along with his two accomplices, entered house of Shaheen Bibi, resident of Karim Block Allama Iqbal Town, and held all inmates on gunpoint and were trying to escape after looting valuables including cash, jewelry and cellular phones worth thousands of rupees when the inmates raised alarm.
Local residents and police officials immediately reached the spot and arrested Faizan while his accomplices managed to flee along with the looted items while indulging in aerial firing. Police registered a case and have started investigation.
