KARACHI: Two suspected robbers were shot at and wounded in an alleged encounter in Defence Housing Authority (DHA) early on Friday morning.

But, the relatives of one of the wounded persons disputed the police version claiming that he was picked up f rom hi s home in Kor angi on April 29 and shot in a `f ake` encounter.

The Defence police said that an encounter tookplace between the investigation police and robbers in DHA, Phase-VII. After an exchange of fire, two suspects Jaff ar Alam and Kashif alias Zubair were arrested in an injured condition while their other accomplices fled.

The wounded were shifted to the Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre (JPMC). The police claimed to have recovered two TT pistols from them.

Additional Police Surgeon at JPMC Dr Summaiya Syed said Alam, 35, sustained a single bullet wound in the left thigh while Kashif, aged around 30-35, suffered a bullet injury in the right thigh with a bone fracture.

A police spokesperson said in a statement that the Defence police investigation team was trying to arrest the suspects wanted in house robberies in DHA when an exchange of gunfire took place in which two suspects were arrested in aninjured condition.

During an initial probe, the held suspects revealed that they were involved in several house robberies in Defence. They were wanted by the police in cases of robberies, the spokesperson said.

However, their four other accomplices managed to escape in a white colour car.

`Staged encounter` However, relatives of Alam held a protest demonstration outside the Karachi Press Club in the afternoon.

A number of protesters, mostly women and children, chanted slogans against police. They were carrying banners inscribed with slogans in favour of their demands.

They claimed that Alam was `innocent`, as hewas arrested from his house near Korangi Crossing by a team of police on the night of April 29. The police shot him in a `staged` encounter on Friday, they added.

They said he was a rickshaw driver and had nothing to do with crimes.

Septuagenarian found dead The body of a man was found in a nullah near Metro Cinema in Orangi Town on Friday.

Area SHO Khadim Husain said that it appeared that the body had lain there for around three-four days.

The victim was identified as Daulat Khan, 70.

He was mentally upset and might have f allen in the nullah and died. The corpse was shif ted to the Abbasi Shaheed Hospital for medico-legal examination.