KARACHI: A university student lost his life but killed two suspected muggers in a gun battle near New Sabzi Mandi on Superhighway in the wee hours of Wednesday morning, police and his relatives said.

Also on Wednesday, another citizen shot dead a suspected robber in Korangi.

They said that Sheikh Muhammad Nihal, 22, and his uncle Sheikh Muhammad Ayaz were returning to their home in North Nazimabad on a motorbike after attending a dinner late on Tuesday night.

SITE-Superhighway SHO Zulfiqar Bhangwar said that they were intercepted by armed muggers, also riding a motorbike, near Jamali Pul. However, Sheikh Nihal, who possessed a licensed pistol, took out his weapon and started firing. The muggers also opened fire and in an exchange of gunfire two suspects and Nihal and his uncle suffered bullet wounds.

The police said that both the suspects and Nihal died on the spot.

Another suspect shot dead by citizen in Korangi

The bodies and the wounded were taken to the Abbasi Shaheed Hospital, where doctors said that the condition of Sheikh Ayaz was stable as he sustained a bullet wound in the hand.

Slain Nihal was a student at the department of architecture of Nazeer Husain University. He was the only son of his parents.

Later in the day, his funeral prayers were offered at a local mosque in North Nazimabad amid moving scenes.

A grief-stricken uncle of the victim lamented that the city had been left at the mercy of armed robbers.

Leader of the Opposition in the Sindh Assembly Ali Khurshidi, who also attended the funeral, expressed concern over an alarming rise in killing of innocent citizens by robbers.

He demanded that the governor and other authorities take immediate action to curb street crime in Karachi.

Till date, 68 citizens have been shot dead by robbers in Karachi during the first five months of the current year. However, the police claimed that the number of people killed by robbers stood at 52.

Car driver shoots, kills suspect

In another incident, a suspected robber was shot dead by a citizen in Korangi on Wednesday evening.

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Zaman Town SHO Malik Ashraf said that armed pillion riders intercepted a car driver near Coast Guard Chowrangi. The car driver had a pistol and he challenged the suspects. During an exchange of gunfire, one of the suspects suffered a bullet wound in the chest and died on the spot.

The SHO said that his accomplice managed to flee on the motorbike.

He said that a passer-by, later identified as Kamran Taj, 45, also suffered a bullet wound in the shoulder.

He said that the citizen left the scene after the fatal shooting.

The deceased suspect was identified as Shahnawaz alias Shani.

The police said that he had a past criminal record as he was arrested by the Pak Colony police.

The body and injured victims were shifted to the Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre.

Published in Dawn, May 16th, 2024