Pakistan Rangers, Sindh, claimed to have killed notorious Lyari gang war commander Noor Muhammad alias Baba Ladla in a shootout early Thursday in Karachi's Lyari neighbourhood.
Two of Baba Ladla's close associates — Sikandar alias Sikko and Mohammad Yaseen alias Mama — were also killed in the encounter.
The "most wanted" suspects were involved in numerous terrorist incidents and heinous crimes, a Rangers press release said.
Acting on a tip-off about the presence of Ladla, the Rangers raided Lyari's Phool Patti Lane area. Upon seeing them, the gangsters opened fire and lobbed hand grenades at the paramilitary personnel.
After a gunfight that lasted about 35 minutes, Baba Ladla and his two accomplices were killed in the encounter.
According to Rangers, Baba Ladla was wanted by the police in more than 74 cases. The Lyari gang war ring leader was operating several torture cells in Lyari which had spread fear and terror in the area.
Some of Baba Ladla's major crimes
Attack on a police party in April 2012, and the murder of head constable and a constable
Killing of Lyari gang war leaders Arshad Pappu, Yasir Arafat and Shera Pathan and desecrating and burning their bodies with gang war leader Uzair Baloch's collaboration
The murder of five people including a Dalmia resident and his sons
Kidnapping three people in March 2013 and killing one of them after torture
In the last few years, security forces have carried out several raids and search operations in Lyari as part of the Karachi operation to put an end to the gang warfare.
Since 2013, they have arrested many suspected gangsters, drug dealers and target killers; they have also seized several weapons, including SMGs, rocket launchers, hand grenades and AK-47s.
