Three car lifters killed during police encounter in Karachi

KARACHI: Three car lifters were killed on Monday night in an Anti-Car Lifting Cell (ACLC) encounter in the metropolis.

According to ACLC officials, the suspects were involved in stealing government cars, kidnapping for ransom and several other cases. 

The suspects were gunned down after being caught at a checkpoint near Northern Bypass. "We had asked the suspects to stop at the checkpoint but they opened fire," officials said.

Further, officials added, they fired in response to the suspects’ firing which resulted in the three car lifters being injured.

The car lifters who have been identified as Shehzad Abbasi, Ashok Kumar and Asad Merani were shifted to the hospital where they were pronounced dead on arrival.

Authorities said, Kumar was involved in kidnapping for ransom and had 12 theft cases registered against him, while Abbasi had 33 cases registered against him.

“Arms, ammunition and the stolen car were recovered from the men,” ACLC authorities said.

“Suspects would steal cars from different parts of Karachi and sell them in other cities of Sindh and Balochistan,” they added.