25-year-old shot dead for trying to run away from muggers

A man lost his life for trying to run away from muggers who did not hesitate to shoot at him, while another man was shot and injured for resisting a separate mugging bid in the city on Wednesday.

According to the Pakistan Bazaar police, 25-year-old Daud, son of Mushtaq, sustained bullet injuries when robbers shot at him for trying to run away during their mugging bid in Gulshan-e-Bihar, Christian Colony in Orangi Town.

The man was rushed to the Abbasi Shaheed Hospital where he succumbed to his injuries during treatment, the police said. According to SHO Iqbal Tunio, the victim was standing outside his residence when two muggers riding a motorcycle attempted to loot him. When the man tried to run away from the muggers, they opened fire at him, the police said.

In another incident, an elderly man was injured for trying to catch one of the two muggers who were looting cash from him outside an ATM booth of a private bank located near Power House Chowrangi, according to the Sir Syed police.

Subsequently, one of the robbers opened fire at the victim after which scores of people gathered at the scene and managed to catch one of the muggers, the police said. The robber was beaten up by the angry crowd before the police reached the scene to arrest him, the police added.

The injured citizen and the arrested robber were taken to the Abbasi Shaheed Hospital for medical treatment, the police said.

The incident took place when the victim’s wife was inside the ATM booth for withdrawing cash while he was waiting outside when the robbers came close to him and attempted to loot cash from him, the police said.

According to SHO Nawaz Barohi, the injured person has been identified as 60-year-old Moiz Ahmed, son of Uzair Ahmed, resident of North Karachi. The identity of the arrested robber was yet to be ascertained, the police said, adding that a 30 bore pistol was found in his possession and a case had been registered in this regard.

Muggings are common in the streets of Karachi, with armed criminals robbing helpless citizens with impunity. They do not hesitate to shoot the victim dead if the mugging bid is resisted, creating an atmosphere of fear among the dwellers of the city.

In the last week of December 2019, Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah directed the additional inspector general of the Karachi police “to do whatever was needed to absolutely clear the mess of street crime in the city”.