Only 15 hours after the newly-appointed Capital City Police Officer’s (CCPO) announcement of his ‘aggressive policing policy during his maiden press briefing as Lahore’s new police chief, CIA officials shot dead two alleged kidnappers, said to be involved in the kidnap and murder of a 14-year-old during an alleged encounter during wee hours on Wednesday.
The two alleged kidnappers were identified as Misri Shah resident Ramzan and Kala Khatai Road Shahdara resident Javed. Crime Investigation Agency (CIA) officials said a CIA team led by DSP CIA Khalid Abu Bakkar was investigating the kidnapping and murder of Misri Shah resident Hamza, 14. Hamza was kidnapped and his body was later discovered in fields in the Kala Shah Kaku area.
During investigation, a CIA team arrested shopkeeper Amir Shahzad on complaint of the deceased’s family. Amir ran a general store a few yards from Hamza’s house. Hamza used to spend hours at Amir’s store. CIA officials said they arrested Amir along with Muhammad Ishaq, another accused, and the two had admitted to kidnapping Hamza during investigations.
Kidnapped during uncle’s marriage: CIA officials claimed the two arrested men revealed Hamza had been kidnapped during his uncle’ wedding function and they had handed Hamza over to accomplices Ramzan and Javed who shifted him to an disclosed location. Though the family had registered a case with Misri Shah Police, investigators suggested that the family cut a deal with kidnappers if contacted.
Two days later, the kidnappers agreed a settlement with the family, but the situation turned sour when the family asked the kidnappers to let them hear their son’s voice. After this, the kidnappers switched off their mobiles and the body of Hamza was recovered the very next day by Ferozewala Police from fields in Kala Shah Kaku.
Ambushed at ‘deserted’ location: Revealing the details of the alleged encounter, police said that, on Tuesday, the arrested men told investigators that Ramzan and Javaid were due to visit them. Responding to the claim, CIA police installed a picket near the Do-Moriya Pul. The four men usually met at a deserted place near Kohlo Ghar.
CIA officials revealed that two motorcyclists riding a new motorcycle reached the location during Wednesday’s wee hours before Fajr prayer. CIA officials claimed the motorcyclists opened indiscriminate fire upon seeing the waiting police party. They claimed police retaliated in tit-for-tat and the two motorcyclists were killed during cross fire.
Subsequently, police removed their bodies to the Mayo Hospital morgue and registered an encounter case against them. CCPO met family before ‘encounter’: Sources revealed newly appointed CCPO Ahmed Raza Tahir met the family of the deceased on Tuesday evening after his press briefing. Pakistan Today learnt that the CCPO assured the deceased’s relative that they would soon arrest the culprits. Only hours passed after the meeting, a CIA team claimed to have killed two kidnappers in an alleged encounter and arrested their two accomplices.
‘Justice administered’
