Passer-by Shot Dead Trying to Stop Sohrab Goth Robbery in Karachi

A 40-year-old man was shot dead in Karachi late on Thursday night while trying to stop the Sohrab Goth robbery, in which three armed men targeted a policeman’s family, police and a relative said on Friday.

Rahimullah, a passer-by, was gunned down when three robbers opened fire as they tried to flee after committing a robbery near Shafiq Mor, police said.

Police have registered a case against three unidentified suspects on the complaint of Mohammed Danish Iqbal.

A wedding trip that ended in tragedy

Mohammed Danish Iqbal, on whose complaint the case was registered, told police he was a constable posted to the investigation wing of the East police and lived in Ahsanabad.

He said he had gone with his family to attend a wedding ceremony near Sakhi Hasan Chowrangi. While the family was driving back, their car broke down near Shafiq Mor. As they pulled over to the side and began checking the vehicle, three robbers on a motorcycle pulled up.

The robbers snatched purses and mobile phones from Iqbal and his relative at gunpoint. It was at that moment that Rahimullah, who happened to be passing by, ran towards the robbers in an attempt to stop them. Startled, the robbers opened fire on him and then fled the scene with the looted valuables.

The wounded man was taken to the Abbasi Shaheed Hospital, where doctors pronounced him dead. Police said the case had been registered against three unidentified suspects and an investigation was under way.

The Sohrab Goth robbery and Karachi’s street-crime problem

The killing is the latest reminder of the street crime that continues to stalk Karachi’s neighbourhoods, where motorcycle-borne muggers routinely target motorists, often at gunpoint. Breakdowns and late-night stops on dimly lit stretches leave commuters especially exposed, and passers-by who intervene put their own lives at risk.

Earlier this month, two brothers were shot dead at Gulbai Chowrangi in the city, a case that drew attention to the brazenness of armed robbers operating in busy areas, as Feature Pakistan reported. Police have also been cracking down on organised criminal networks in the city, including recent arrests of suspected militants in Karachi, as reported here.

Police say they are working to trace the three suspects in the Shafiq Mor case. No arrests had been reported by Friday.

Frequently asked questions

What happened near Sohrab Goth?

Late on Thursday night, three robbers on a motorcycle mugged a policeman’s family whose car had broken down near Shafiq Mor. A 40-year-old passer-by, Rahimullah, ran towards the robbers to intervene and was shot dead as they fled.

Who was the victim?

Rahimullah, 40, was a passer-by with no connection to the family being robbed. He was taken to the Abbasi Shaheed Hospital, where doctors pronounced him dead.

Have the robbers been caught?

No. Police have registered a case against three unidentified suspects on the complaint of constable Mohammed Danish Iqbal, and are working to trace them.

Is street crime rising in Karachi?

Armed robberies by motorcycle-borne muggers remain a persistent problem in Karachi, with several high-profile cases in recent weeks, including the Gulbai Chowrangi double shooting.