The New Karachi Industrial Area Police on Friday claimed to have busted an inter-provincial robbery gang during a major operation in the city that allegedly operated under the leadership of a man and his wife.
District Central SSP Dr Muhammad Imran Khan while addressing a press conference told reporters that five suspects, including a woman, were arrested after an encounter with two of them in an injured state.
The arrested suspects were identified as Azhar Shah, Murad Bakhsh, alias Haji, Manzoor Hussain, Pyare, alias Pyaro, and his wife Dua. SSP Khan said the suspects had confessed to carrying out multiple robbery incidents in different parts of Karachi. The gang admitted to snatching Rs1.875 million from a citizen named Saman in New Karachi.
The accused also confessed to snatching Rs6.4 million from a petrol pump owner near New Sabzi Mandi. Police said the citizen was shot and injured for offering resistance during the robbery.
Investigators have obtained CCTV footage of the Rs6.4 million robbery incident. Police revealed that the suspects used the stolen money to purchase a car, motorcycles and weapons.
During interrogation, the gang also confessed to committing a robbery at a medical store in Surjani Town, where cash and mobile phones were snatched. Police also acquired CCTV footage of the Surjani Town robbery.
Officials said the arrested suspects were involved in other street crime incidents and house robberies in various areas of Karachi. The gang was allegedly planning to target traders visiting the cattle market when they were arrested.
Police said Pyare was also a proclaimed offender in cases registered in Sukkur, while the previous criminal record of the other accused was being traced. Police recovered four pistols, mobile phones, cash and two motorcycles from the possession of the suspects.
SSP Khan said the arrested suspects were part of an organised inter-provincial criminal network and raids were under way to arrest their remaining accomplices. Meanwhile, a robber was killed during a police encounter within the jurisdiction of the Shahrah-e-Noor Jahan police station near Akbar Public School near Nagan Chowrangi.
According to police, the suspect was fleeing after robbing citizens when he encountered a patrolling police team. Upon seeing the police party, the suspect opened fire, prompting police to retaliate in self-defence.
During the exchange of fire, bullets fired by the robber also struck a police mobile and the jackets of two police personnel. However, no police casualties were reported. The suspect was killed in the crossfire and efforts are under way to ascertain his identity.
Police recovered a motorcycle, two snatched touchscreen mobile phones, two wallets containing Rs7,650 in cash and a 30-bore pistol from the scene. The body of the deceased suspect was taken to hospital for legal formalities.
