KARACHI: At least two people, including a woman, were killed and 95 others injured in separate incidents of celebratory aerial firing in Karachi during Independence Day celebrations, according to the report.
One of the fatalities was a 42-year-old man identified as Mehrab, who was sitting with friends at a hotel near Masha Allah Hotel on University Road in the Old Sabzi Mandi area when a stray bullet struck him in the chest.
According to PIB Colony police, the incident occurred during the night between Thursday and Friday as celebratory firing began across the city. Mehrab was critically injured and taken to a private hospital on Stadium Road, where he later died during treatment.
Police handed his body over to his brother after completing legal formalities. A case was registered against unidentified suspects on the complaint of the victim’s brother, Muhammad Ghulam, and an investigation was launched.
Several other people were also injured by stray bullets in different parts of the city. A 25-year-old man, Shayan, was injured near Federal B Area Block 7 and shifted to Civil Hospital.
A 30-year-old man, Ali Ahmed, sustained a bullet injury near Sea View in the jurisdiction of Darakhshan Police Station, while an 18-year-old, Abdul Jabbar, was injured by a stray bullet at his home near Rand Goth in the Sachal area.
Police said the incidents were linked to aerial firing during Independence Day celebrations.
Meanwhile, Karachi Police said they had arrested 41 suspects allegedly involved in aerial firing and recovered weapons from their possession.
According to police, 10 suspects were arrested in operations conducted in areas including SITE Super Highway, Sachal, Gulistan-e-Johar and Gulshan-e-Iqbal. Seven were arrested in Orangi Town, 16 in Central district and eight in Korangi.
The incidents have once again highlighted the dangers of celebratory gunfire, in which bullets fired into the air can return to the ground and cause fatal or serious injuries to unsuspecting people.
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