An alleged mugger was shot dead and another injured by the local police near Khyaban-e-Jami area of the metropolis on Saturday in a shootout which was described as ‘fake’ by the victim’s family.
According to SHO Latif, complainant Ahsan Salim was standing outside his home with his friends when two men on a motorbike came and snatched their phones and money.
Salim and his friends chased the muggers in their car and solicited the help of a police mobile they ran into on the way. The police, along with the complainant, finally intercepted the two alleged muggers near Khyaban-e-Jami.
In a shootout, one of the two alleged robbers was shot dead. SHO Latif added that the suspect had recently been deported from Malaysia on December 22 where he had been living illegally on an expired visit visa.
Police officials recovered cell phones and cash from the second man’s custody, and confirmed that the belongings were of Salim and his friends. According to the police, the robber was resident of Lyari from where he had left with his accomplice with the intention of robbery.
However, the deceased’s family rejected the version of events presented by the police, claiming “the police are presenting a fabricated story in order to get away with murder.”
The grandmother of the man, who was killed in the shootout, said that the victim had recently returned from Malaysia and was living with the family in Lyari. She said the two men were coming home from Teen Talwar where they had gone to meet a friend and were carrying “ample cash” besides smartphones which must have attracted the police’s interest.
The family alleged that the policemen stopped the two near Khyaban-e-Jami and harassed them. When they refused to pay any bribe, the police shot them in a “fake shootout”.
The police reported that as per the CNIC found from his possession, the deceased was resident of Lyari. The grandmother confirmed this, but added that police officials were using his residence to their favour by alleging their son a member of Lyari gang.
Home Minister Sohail Anwar Sial ordered an inquiry into the incident and requested a complete report from police authorities. Chief Minister Syed Qaim Ali Shah has also taken notice of the incident.
