Mystery of ‘lynched’ youth in Karachi takes new turn
KARACHI: Police investigation into the ‘killing’ of a youth in Gulistan-i-Jauhar on April 18 revealed that the victim, along with two other youths, was taken into “custody” by Rangers for “a few hours”. The trio was later released after proper verification, it emerged on Thursday.
The incident prompted Sindh IGP A.D. Khowaja to take its notice and seek a detailed report from Karachi East SSP Dr Samiullah Soomro as a section of the media on Wednesday highlighted that the youth was allegedly lynched by a mob after a road accident.
SSP Soomro on Thursday told Dawn that the initial probe revealed that on April 18, after Maghrib prayers, three teenagers — Ali Raza, Sajid Ali and Aamir — had an altercation with the driver of a red Mehran at Munawwar Chowrangi in Gulistan-i-Jauhar.
Later, the same vehicle hit the motorcycle of the boys at Kamran Chowrangi. Consequently, all three were injured.
According to complainants, the injured were moved to a Rangers checkpoint for a “few hours”, said the SSP East.
“After verification, at around 1.30am, they were released by Rangers personnel.”
One of the injured, Ali Raza, later died. Consequently, an FIR (347/2018) under Sections 320 (punishment for qatl-i-khata by rash or negligent driving) and 337-G (punishment for hurt by rash or negligent driving) and 504 (intentional insult with intent to provoke breach of the peace) and 427 (mischief causing damage to the amount of fifty rupees) of the Pakistan Penal Code has been registered against two unknown suspects at the Gulistan-i-Jauhar police station and the vehicle has been taken into custody.
Meanwhile, Gulshan SP Ghulam Murtaza Bhutto told Dawn that one of the suspects had been identified as Sharjeel, who work
On Wednesday, the injured cousin and another close relative of the deceased, Sajid, told the media that Ali Raza was allegedly murdered by two men after a quarrel with them over “a minor road accident” involving the victims and the car.
The suspect hit their two-wheeler, beat them up and then invited area people to thrash them further though they had already fallen unconscious, declaring them “armed robbers”.
Published in Dawn, April 27th, 2018