KARACHI: Gun-battle in the sea between two launches each of which mistook the other for the Customs launch led to the death of Khamisoo, 30, and gave away the gold into the bargain.

Mirpur Sakro Police arrested seven persons following the report of a gun-battle which was said to have taken place in Buharo Creek.

The gold-laden boat from Dubai was expected in Buharo Creek on the night of May 26-27; but those that were to receive it were upset by the presence of the Customs party which was seen active in the neighbourhood.

As the story goes, a boat was sent out from Buharo Village presumably to [alert] the boat from Dubai [tol the Customs hounds. In the dead of night, however, as luck would have it, each mistook the other for a Customs vessel and opened fire. Khamisoo, who was in the incoming boat, was killed by the fire; and as a precautionary measure all the gold in the boat was jettisoned over-board.

The Customs party led by Mr Salman Faruqui, Assistant Collector, heard of the gun-battle while combing the area for the launch with gold from Dubai. They were only five miles away from the scene. The Customs men, nosing for gold in the area, fretted out all the information about the gun-battle as also the dumping of the gold into the sea.

Thus while Police got busy in tracking the killers of Khamisoo, the Customs started `Operation Gold` in Buharo Creek.

On the second day of `Operation Gold` in Buharo Creek yesterday [May 31] the frogmen of Pakistan Navy brought out 34,070 tolas of gold from the sea. Yesterday`s haul swelled the total amount of gold recovered from bottom of the sea to over 41,000 tolas. The frogmen of the Navy would have brought out all the gold brought from Dubai but for the rough weather.

The sail-boats used for `Operation Gold` were found unsuited for use in the rough weather and speed-boats had to be requisitioned from Karachi to continue the haul. Correspondent