An alleged Lyari gangster was killed on Saturday in an encounter with police and paramilitary Rangers in the Lyari area. One of the slain gangster's accomplice was injured in the incident. According to officials, Rangers and police personnel faced armed resistance from Lyari gangsters during a joint raid in a Lyari locality to nab the killers of Arshad alias Pappu.
They said that Lyari gangsters opened indiscriminate fire when personnel of law-enforcement agencies entered at Shah Baig Lane and Saifee Lane, injuring a number of Rangers' men injured. A gangster identified as Aqeel alias commando was reportedly killed when Rangers' men fired back. Aqeel's accomplice, later identified as Abdur Rehman, was critically injured.
During the fierce firing, other Lyari gangsters managed to evade arrest. A spokesperson of Sindh Rangers claimed that eight notorious criminals had been arrested during a targeted operation at Shah Baig Lane and Saifee Lane. He said that a number of heavy weapons had also been seized from the possession of these criminals. SP Lyari Sardar Anjum Tarin said that the raid was conducted on a tipoff, adding that the deceased had been nominated in several heinous crimes, including murders, kidnappings and extortion. According to him, after Arshad alias Rekha's death, Aqeel was heading all illicit activities in the locality.
Aqeel's body was handed over to his relatives after completion of legal formalities at Lyari General Hospital. Later, Aqeel's relatives and other people took Aqeel's body to Art Chowk and staged a protest demonstration against his killing. Meanwhile, all social and commercial activities were suspended in the Old City area.