Daily Times

LAHORE: A 27-years-old young man was shot dead by police in an alleged encounter on Tuesday near Railway Godown in Misri Shah Police precincts, while eight other people got killed in different incidents across the city.

The deceased was identified as Muhammad Ilyas Awan, a resident of Gujarnwala. According to police, Ilyas was a proclaimed offender and a hardened criminal who was involved in several incidents of robbery and street crime.

According to the Misri Shah Police, on the day of incident, Ilyas Awan and his unknown friend snatched a motorcycle from a citizen in Misri Shah and were escaping when the officials of concerned police station signaled them to stop for routine checking, but the accused opened fire at them.

Misri Shah Police said that fortunately, the officials managed to survive the firing and radioed information to 15 wireless controls. The officials also retaliated and injured accused Ilyas, who was then rushed to a nearby hospital where he succumbed to his injuries, while his friend managed to escape from the scene. Police later moved the body to Mayo Hospital morgue for autopsy and started investigation of the matter and contacted his relatives. Officials claimed that about dozen cases had already been registered against Ilyas Awan in Wahdat Colony and Iqbal Town Police Stations. However, the heirs of Ilyas claimed to have searched for their son in different police stations of the city, but could did not find any clue for last few days. They claimed that the police officials had deliberately killed their son and had staged it as an encounter.

In another incident, a 40-year-old man was stabbed to death with a scissor by his colleague over a minor issue near Bund Road in Lower Mall police limits.

The deceased, identified as Tariq, worked in a shoe factory situated near Munshi Hospital. Police said that the accused, identified as Buhdar Khan, also worked as supervisor in the same factory. On the day of incident, Tariq and Buhdar quarreled with each other over some minor issue despite other workers trying to resolve the issue. However, after exchange of harsh words, Buhdar got infuriated and attacked Tariq with a scissor, resulting in his instant death. Police removed the body to city mortuary and registered a case against the arrested person.

Meanwhile, a 17-year-old youth committed suicide by taking poisonous pills over unknown issue in Garden Town area.

The deceased, identified as Salman of Okara, lived in Lahore with his family. Police said that Salman got infuriated after having an exchange of hot words with his family members over an unknown issue. He locked himself up in a room and swallowed poisonous pills. As a result, his condition went critical. He was rushed to a local hospital, where he expired. Police handed over the body to his family after fulfilling legal formalities.

Moreover, a strangulated body of 15-year-old youth was recovered in an empty plot in Khana area. The deceased was identified as Ali Abbas of Khana. Police said Ali was mysteriously missing from his house one day ago and his family members were searching him in different places, but in vein. On Tuesday morning, some locals saw his dead body, with a rope tied to his neck, lying in an empty plot. Upon being informed, police and a number of locals reached the spot and started inquiry about the incident. The family members told the police that they had no enmity with any one. However, the police shifted the dead body to a morgue and started investigation from different angles.

Separately, two unknown men were hit and killed by trains in two different areas of the city. According to details, two unidentified men were crossing railway lines near Kotlakhpat and Karachi Phattak Mughalpura when speeding trains hit them, resulting in their instant death. Police said identity of the deceased was still unknown and it is also not certain weather it was an accident or they had committed suicide. A search has been started for the heirs of the deceased.

Also, A 28-year-old man was found dead in the limits of Badami Bagh police station; a 35-year-old man was recovered dead from the area of Ghari Shahu police station and a 60-year-old man was found dead in the jurisdiction of Data Darbar police station. Police claimed that all the three men, who were yet to be identified, were addicts who might have died of excessive use of drugs. Bodies were shifted to morgue.