Police arrests armed gang of land grabbers in Karachi

KARACHI: Police have claimed arresting a gang of land grabbers including its leader in Sohrab Goth area of Karachi, ARY News reported on Saturday.

“On a tip-off police arrested six gang members including their kingpin Ali Hassan Brohi in a raid in Sohrab Goth,” DSP Sohail Faiz said.

Illegal arms were also recovered from their possession, police officer said.

The accused had reached in the area for land grabbing but police arrested them from the spot.

They were involved in illegal encroachment of lands by force, police official said.

Land grabbing is a major issue in Karachi, which sees gangs referred to as the ‘Land Mafia’ grabbing privately owned or state lands by force.

The anti-corruption department in September last year arrested three accused including two police officials, on charges of illegal sale of the state land in Karachi.

Anti-corruption department’s deputy director said that the suspects were involved in selling government land worth Rs seven billion through fake documents.

The suspects were identified as Asim Siddique, in-charge of Khalidabad Chowki, Hyder, a head constable and Fateh Saand.

The official said that the gang sold government land in Bhango Gabol Goth and Gulistan-e-Johar.

The anti-corruption department lodged a case against the suspects and initiated probe into the scam.