KARACHI: 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 that was described as 'fake' by the victim's family.
According to SHO Latif, the complainant Ahsan Salim was standing outside his residence 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 proceeding 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 the cell phones and cash from the second man's custody, and confirmed that the belonging were of Salim and his friends.
According to the police, the robber was a resident of Lyari from where he had left with his accomplice with the intention of mugging.
However, the deceased man's family rejected the version of events presented by the police, claiming "the police is presenting a fabricated story in order to get away with murder".
The grandmother of the man who was killed told Dawn.com 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" on them, along with the glossy 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".
Police reported that the CNIC found on the deceased's body listed his residence as Lyari. The grandmother confirmed this, but added that police officials were using his residence to their favour by alleging their son belonged to a gang in Lyari.
Home Minister Sohail Anwar Sial has ordered an inquiry into the incident and has requested a report from police authorities once it is complete.
Sindh Chief Minister Syed Qaim Ali Shah has also taken notice of the incident.
Two shopkeepers shot dead
Two shopkeepers were shot dead in separate incidents in the metropolis on Saturday night, according to police officials.
Haider Ali, 50, was gunned down in Clifton area. Boat Basin police said that he was standing outside his ‘jewellery shop’ in Neelam Colony when unknown gunmen attacked and killed him.
His brother was also shot dead in Defence area a few days ago, officials said. The police officer maintained that they were probing the exact motive behind the murder.
In another incident in Qayumabad, Mohammed Ibrahim, 35, was gunned down in an attack on his mobile shop, said Korangi Industrial Area police.
Factory worker dies after inhaling chemicals
A worker died after inhaling toxic material at a garment factory in Korangi Industrial Area while three others were injured, it has been learnt.
Police officials said that four workers fell into chemical located inside Surti garment factory near Chamra Chowrangi. They were rushed to Jinnah Post-Graduate Medical Centre where doctors declared, Ali, 30, as dead on arrival.
