Suspect held after shopkeeper killed in robbery

Police on Tuesday arrested a robber who was fleeing the crime scene after murdering a shopkeeper in Sector 4 of North Karachi.

Station House Officer (SHO) Nasrullah Khan of Surjani Town Police Station said robbers barged into Haji Bashir’s shop and looted cash. The suspects were attempting to run away with the cash when Bashir tried to overpower them. At this, the robbers opened fire and injured the shopkeeper.

Hearing the gunshots, a crowd gathered in front of the shop and chased the robbers. Soon, police arrived at the scene and an exchange of fire took place between the police and the robbers, leaving one of the suspects injured. The other robber managed to escape, however.

The injured shopkeeper and the robber were moved to Abbasi Shaheed Hospital, where Bashir succumbed to his injuries.

SHO Khan added that the weapon used in the murder was found on the robber, who was identified as Umair, a habitual street criminal recently bailed out of jail. Umair was said to have been arrested in 2016 in the Korangi Industrial Area in the aftermath of an armed robbery wherein one of his associates had been killed.

Raids are being conducted for the arrest of the suspect on the run. In a Monday morning shootout, Korangi Industrial Area police had claimed gunning down two alleged robbers. A police constable, Arshad Mughal, was also injured in the exchange of fire.

SSP Sajid Amir of District Korangi said the the shootout occurred at around 11am when police were fired upon by robbers who were looting citizens near Chamra Chowrangi.