Residents blame policemen for killing Karachi citizen in fake encounter

KARACHI: A Karachi citizen has lost his life in gunfire allegedly resorted to by policemen in Nazimabad Number 1 area of the metropolis for which the area residents blamed the security officials for carrying out a fake encounter, ARY News reported on Friday.

Police and residents of the area have given contradictory statements regarding the incident as police claimed to face heavy firing from drug peddlers on the scene that killed the citizen. The slain citizen is identified as Usman who sells fried chips in the area.

The incident took place in Kabuli Bazaar of Karachi’s Nazimabad Number 1 area where outrageous residents held a protest against the citizen’s killing allegedly by a raiding police team.

Police admitted that four cops including two uniformed officials and two plainclothed policemen went to the scene near Saifullah bus stand on a tip-off where the drug peddlers have attacked the team while one of the cops was also subjected to torture by the criminals.

A cop has possessed a pistol which he used to respond to the criminals. They claimed that Usman was killed by gunshots from the drug peddlers during the exchange of fire. Police also claimed that drug peddlers and their supporters were trying to blame the police officials for the citizen’s death.

Nephew of Usman told the media that his uncle received a bullet during a police encounter. The family members said that Usman is the father of five children and they will file a case against police and drug peddlers.

Usman’s family claimed that the fire was opened only by the policemen but not anyone else on the scene. They also complained that the medico-legal officer was not present in the Abbasi Shaheed Hospital where they shifted the body after the incident.

Police officials said that a thorough investigation was launched into the incident.