Police on Wednesday claimed to have arrested a suspect allegedly involved in the murder of a third-year medical student of Hamdard University in Karachi last week.

Misbah, 24, was killed by armed motorcyclists on October 3 near her home on Rashid Minhas Road when she was waiting inside the car along with her father, Athar Anwar, for a bus of the varsity.

“We lost a future doctor at the hands of Afghan scavengers-cum-street criminals,” said SSP Azfar Mahesar, of the city's East district.

Speaking at press conference at his office, the senior officer said that a joint team of the police set up under directions of the deputy inspector general (DIG) overseeing the East zone managed to arrest the suspect with the help of "technical evidence". The police also seized a mobile phone snatched from the victim girl’s father and motorcycle used in the crime.

According to SSP Mahesar, the held suspect — along with his absconder associate — had gunned down the medical student during a robbery. He was a scavenger till a year ago and later on started stealing batteries of vehicles.

He along with his other accomplices had been committing street crimes since the last five months, added the officer.

During an initial probe, the suspect had ‘confessed’ to committing street crimes in Gulshan-i-Iqbal, Mobina Town, Gulistan-i-Jauhar, Sharea Faisal, Bahadurabad, Aziz Bhatti, Sachal and Site Superhighway area.

Meanwhile, Sindh inspector general of police, Karachi additional inspector general and DIG East announced cash rewards and appreciation certificates for the police party.