KARACHI: After four days of investigations, police on Saturday concluded that young Dr Maha Ali Shah had committed suicide as she was suffering from “extreme depression”.

SSP-South Sheeraz Nazeer said that Dr Shah, 24, shot herself to death inside her home in the Defence area on the night of Aug 18 and two men were arrested for providing a pistol to her.

He said in a statement that the 9mm pistol used by Dr Shah was actually owned by Saad Siddiqi. He gave the pistol to Tabish Qureshi who provided it to her.

About the incident, he said Dr Shah returned home after ending her duty at a private hospital “depressed” and went to sleep.

She later went to the bathroom, locked it from inside and shot herself. The bullet pierced through her head and got stuck with the wall, the SSP said, adding that police had collected evidence.

Police arrest two men for providing weapon to Dr Maha Shah

The father broke open the door after hearing the gunshot and saw her lying in a pool of blood in the shower. The father informed the police Madadgar-15 and also called his relative Dr Zehra at her home. The wounded doctor was taken to a hospital where she died later.

“Dr Maha Ali Shah was a victim of extreme depression and she used to say that she would kill herself,” the SSP said. “Why she committed suicide, the characters concerned are being interrogated.”

Two suspects killed in ‘encounter’

Two suspected robbers were shot dead and one policeman and two passers-by were wounded in an exchange of gunfire in Ali Town off Superhighway on Saturday, according to police.

Sachal SHO Haroon Korai said that four suspects riding two motorbikes stormed a junk dealer’s shop in Ali Town at around 11.30am. Two police guards posted there put up resistance. The suspects shot at and wounded one of the guards, identified as Nabi Bux, and two passers-by, Zia ur Rehman and Hari Chand.

A police patrol rushed to the spot after receiving information and in an exchange of gunfire two of the four suspects got killed, he added.

He said the wounded citizens were shifted to a private hospital while the constable was moved to the Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre for treatment. Their condition was said to be out of danger.

The bodies of the suspects were shifted to the Abbasi Shaheed Hospital for medico-legal formalities. The additional police surgeon, Dr Mohammad Saleem, said they suffered multiple bullet wounds. Their identity could not be ascertained till late in the night.

The police claimed to have recovered two TT pistols, one mobile phone and one motorbike from their possession.

The SHO said that the scrap dealer was provided with two police guards for security on the directions of the high court.

Published in Dawn, August 23rd, 2020