KARACHI: Despite heavy presence of police, Rangers and other law-enforcement agencies on city roads, another student was gunned down by bike-snatchers, this time in Korangi, early on Sunday morning clearly indicating failure of authorities to control the ugly rise of crime and gun violence in the metropolis.

The incident came two days after the gruesome killing of a NED University student by armed muggers in broad daylight in Gulshan-i-Iqbal.

SSP-Korangi Sajid Amir Sadozai told Dawn armed men riding a motorbike tried to snatch the two-wheeler from Azhar Masood, 23, outside his home in K-Area, Korangi, within the remit of the Awami Colony police station.

He said as he put up resistance, the robbers shot and killed him.

Law student killed over resistance in Korangi; enraged people lynch one of the robbers

The police said victim’s father Masood Akhtar overpowered one of the suspects, but his accomplice opened indiscriminate firing, resulting in bullet injuries to Masood and victim’s cousin Osama Ayaz, 23.

A robber also got injured in the firing carried out by his accomplice. He fell and in the meantime, area people gathered there and subjected him to severe beating. The robber died on the spot before arrival of the police.

The dead and injured were shifted to the Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre (JPMC). Masood and Osama were admitted for treatment. The identity of the deceased suspect could not be ascertained till Sunday night.

The victim Azhar was a law student and his grandfather was a known lawyer in Korangi.

Police Surgeon Summaiya Syed said Azhar had sustained a single bullet that entered the body from the right side of the back and exited through the abdomen.

She said that a bullet grazed Mr Masood on the left forearm. He was said to be stable. Osama suffered a single bullet wound.

On Thursday evening, 21-year-old Bilal Nasir, a student of NED University, was shot dead by armed robbers on main University Road while resisting a mobile phone snatching.

On Nov 27, a man was shot dead by robbers in Surjani Town while a mob caught suspects and lynched them.

On Oct 29, an 18-year-old shopkeeper was shot dead in Gulistan-i-Jauhar over resistance while a mob killed one suspect.

Published in Dawn, December 19th, 2022