KARACHI: The Preedy police arrested a man on the complaint of a health official on charges of “illegally” administering vaccine against Covid at homes in Saddar in return for monetary gains, said SSP South Zubair Nazeer Shaikh on Monday.

The suspect had allegedly pilfered the vaccines from a Covid vaccination centre.

The senior officer hinted that more suspects might be involved in the activity.

According to contents of the FIR reviewed by Dawn, the complainant provincial drug inspector, district South, Ghulam Ali, said he received information that certain persons had taken away Covid vaccines from a vaccination centre established by the Sindh government and were allegedly administering them to people at their homes in return for money. After receiving such information, the complainant said he approached Mohammed Ali, whose name was given to him for being involved in the activity.

The suspect agreed to administer the vaccine at home and told him that he would meet him at a restaurant in Saddar at 10.30pm on July 25. The complainant said he with Dr Sohail Raza Sher, the focal person for Covid, Dr Dilawar Jiskani and a police party reached the place where suspect Mohammed Ali was taken into custody by the police. The suspect had a box of syringes. He also had two “empty” vaccination cards inscribed with ‘Govt of Sindh, health department’. The box also contained three used vials and 14 swab specimen.

During initial probe, the held suspect revealed that he was an employee of Sultan Madad Private Limited and he worked as its field officer whose owner was retired Major Amanullah Sultan, according to contents of the FIR.

Policeman, three others shot at, wounded in Lyari

The suspect told the police that the owner provided them with the vaccines, which they administered to citizens at their homes in return for money, which they gave to the retired major, contents of the FIR said.

The police registered an FIR (1171/2021) against the held suspect, Mohammed Ali, retired Major Amanullah Sultan and others under sections 420 (cheating), 409 (criminal breach of trust) and 34 (common intention) of the Pakistan Penal Code and Section 30 of the Drug Act of 1976.

Guard shot dead

A security guard was shot dead allegedly by a colleague of his in the Nagan Chowrangi area late on Tuesday night, police said.

They added that Muneer, 30, was shot and killed by another security guard, Jehanzeb, at a fuel station near Al-Haj Restaurant. The suspect escaped from the crime scene.

Sir Syed Town SHO Chaudhry Zahid Husain said that the motive could not be ascertained immediately. The investigators met the petrol pump owner and other staff who also expressed their ignorance about what actually transpired between them before the incident. The victim originally hailed from Rahim Yar Khan and the police were waiting for his relatives to lodge an FIR to initiate legal proceedings.

Policeman among four shot at, wounded

A policeman was among four persons shot at and wounded by gunmen riding motorcycles in the Kalri and Baghdadi areas on Monday morning, police said.

They added that the men opened fire on the people sitting at a restaurant in Memon Man arrested for ‘illegally’ vaccinating people in Saddar homes Society, Khadda Market. The suspects were fleeing when policemen deployed at a nearby checkpoint challenged them. In an ensuing exchange of fire, a policeman and a passerby were injured.

Kalri SHO Arshad Ali Khan said that the gunmen opened fire at Al-Madina Hotel at around 7.30am. As a result, Umair Mustafa, 19, and Zahid Husain, 38, suffered bullet injuries. Zahid was hit in the chest and his condition was stated to be serious.

The suspects were fleeing when Baghdadi policemen manning the checkpoint at a short distance challenged them. They opened fire on them, resulting in a bullet injury to constable Aziz Ali, 47, on his hand while a passerby, Ayaz Khan, 39, received bullet wounds on his thigh. The suspects escaped from the crime scene. The injured persons were taken to Dr Ruth Pfau Civil Hospital Karachi for treatment.

The officer said the motive for the crime may be to spread fear and chaos in the area.

Police sources said that known gangsters had been either eliminated or gone underground, but the remnants of the gang war, mostly young persons who were intoxicated, tended to resort to such crimes to “keep themselves alive” and create fear in the residents.

Published in Dawn, July 27th, 2021