KARACHI: Notorious Lyari gangster Noor Muhammad alias Baba Lada was killed early Thursday morning along with his two accomplices in a shootout in Lyari area, which is considered as a den of criminals, in the mega city.
According to Rangers statement accomplices killed along with the prime suspect were Sikandar alias Sikko and Ladla`s uncle, Yaseen Baloch, further adding that a personnel was injured in the operation. As many as 15 Rangers` mobiles were used in this operation.
According to a Rangers spokesperson, in an intelligence-based operation paramilitary forces arrived at the Lyari’s Phoolpatti Lane where the personnel were fired upon by suspects from house rooftops and also lobbed hand grenades. After a gunfight that lasted about 35 minutes, Baba Ladla and his two accomplices were killed in the encounter.
One Kalashnikov, a 9mm pistol, a 9mm mauser and a hand grenade were also recovered from their possession.
The “most wanted” suspects were involved in numerous terrorist incidents and heinous crimes, a Rangers press release said.
Dreaded Ladla was wanted by Sindh government for more than 100 murders, attempts to murder and extortion cases. His name was in Sindh Police’s ‘Red Book’ with Rs. 1,000,000 bounty for his capture. “The killing of Baba Ladla group members is a lesson for all those youngsters, who inspired by leaders like Baba Ladla are backing or linked to crimes, that they cannot escape the grasp of law,” the Rangers statement said.
The Lyari gang war ring leader was operating several torture cells in Lyari which had spread fear and terror in the area.
Some of Baba Ladla’s major crimes include: Attack on a police party in April 2012, and the murder of head constable and a constable, killing of Lyari gang war leaders Arshad Pappu, Yasir Arafat and Shera Pathan and desecrating and burning their bodies with gang war leader Uzair Baloch’s collaboration; the murder of five people including a Dalmia resident and his sons and kidnapping three people in March 2013 and killing one of them after torture.
Sources further said that Baba Ladla group was also involved in attack on Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) minister Javed Nagori’s office in which Javed’s brother Akbar Nagori died and 6 including a police officer were injured.
In the last few years, security forces have carried out several raids and search operations in Lyari as part of the Karachi operation to put an end to the gang warfare. Since 2013, they have arrested many suspected gangsters, drug dealers and target killers; they have also seized several weapons, including SMGs, rocket launchers, hand grenades and AK-47s.
Meanwhile in the continuing crackdown against criminal elements under National Action Plan (NAP), police apprehended four accused during operation in different parts of the city on Wednesday night.
According to details, police arrested a dacoit in injured condition after an encounter in Gulistan-e-Johar Block-12 area. Police sources said the dacoit, identified as Ashfaq, was busy in looting residents of the area along with his accomplices when he was apprehended. Police also recovered arms from his possession. Police also arrested a street criminal after an encounter near Afghani Building in Shershah area while two of his accomplices managed to escape.
On the other hand, police conducted a raid on a narcotic den in Machko area and arrested two drug peddlers.
Police have registered a case and started investigation. INP