KARACHI: The Sindh police killed as many as 289 suspects in thousands of encounters in different parts of the province during 2023, official data released on Sunday said.

       A police spokesperson said that a total of 3,158 encounters took place with suspected robbers/criminals across Sindh in the previous year and as a result a total of 1,726 ‘criminal gangs’ were busted.

       In the previous year, the provincial police also arrested a total 26,914 suspects including militants, hitmen, dacoits, kidnappers and many proclaimed offenders, the spokesperson said, adding that a large quantity of explosive material, arms and ammunition were also seized from their custody.

       Meanwhile, a man was shot dead off Superhighway on late Saturday night, police said.

       They added that Imam Bux, 45, was gunned down at Gabool Goth by unidentified assailants from a very close range. Gadap City SHO Majid Alvi said that the victim was a watchman of a plot where he also lived in a makeshift room at night.

       Published in Dawn, January 8th, 2024