Two alleged members of an inter-provincial vehicle theft gang, including its ringleader, were killed during an encounter with the Anti-Vehicle Lifting Cell (AVLC) in Karachi’s Sohrab Goth area, police said.
According to officials, one of the deceased was identified as Farman Elahi, also known as Imran Mani, who was allegedly the head of the “Mani Gang.”
Police said both suspects were part of an organised inter-provincial network involved in stealing vehicles from Karachi and selling them in Punjab, Balochistan, and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
AVLC officials described Farman as a habitual offender with a long criminal record, stating he had previously been arrested three times and was wanted in over 20 cases related to vehicle theft and snatching. He was allegedly active in Karachi’s East, West, and Central districts since 2021.
Investigators further claimed that Farman had links with a Lahore-based criminal group led by Kashif, alias Kashu.
Police added that around 22 cases, including vehicle theft, illegal weapons possession, and narcotics-related offences, had been registered against him in Punjab since 2015.
During the encounter, police recovered two 30-bore pistols with loaded magazines from the suspects. A vehicle reportedly stolen from Karachi’s Ferozabad area was also seized from their possession.
