Islamabad police have arrested the leader of an inter-provincial criminal gang after he was injured during a police encounter in the limits of Tarnol Police Station, officials said on Friday.
According to police, three armed suspects opened indiscriminate fire on a police raiding team during an operation conducted on information about the presence of the Nedo gang. Police personnel remained unharmed due to timely safety measures and the use of bulletproof jackets.
During the exchange of fire, the gang leader, identified as Naveed Zafar, sustained injuries from shots fired by his own accomplices and was arrested in injured condition. Naveed Zafar was wanted by police in multiple cases of shop robberies, street crime, bike snatching, and house robberies across various districts of Punjab and Islamabad.
Police said the raid was launched after receiving intelligence about the gang’s movement in the area. As the suspects noticed the police team, they attempted to escape while firing indiscriminately.
Later, two other members of the gang, identified as Naeem and Abubakar, were traced and arrested using technical surveillance and other investigative methods.
Police recovered weapons used in the crimes, a motorcycle, and a large quantity of looted items from the suspects’ possession. The recovered items include snatched purses, cash, vehicle registration books, smart cards, mobile phones, and cameras.
During initial interrogation, the arrested suspects also confessed to involvement in several other criminal activities. Further investigation is underway.
