Gangland thugs’ egotistical rivalry claims another life

* Four people kill Asim Butt, injure guard in Qila Lakshman Singh

LAHORE: The rivalry between the Tipu Truckanwala and Gogi Butt gangs in city claimed another life early on Wednesday when four people killed Asim Iqbal Butt, an ally of Tippu Truckanwala, in Ravi Road police precincts.

The Tipu Truckanwala gang lodged a case against Amir Butt of the Gogi gang and three others. Ravi Road police arrested Amir Butt and two other men later on Wednesday.

Asim Butt, alias Chand Pahalwan, was at the dera of Bhaiee Pahalwan in Shah Alam Market on Tuesday night. He left for his house in Qila Lakshaman Singh with his guard Wali Khan on a motorcycle at around 3am on Wednesday. Two more guards, Akbar and Ubaid, followed them on another motorcycle.

Eyewitnesses said that as Asim Butt and Wali Khan approached their house, suddenly Amir Butt and three accomplices came from the opposite side riding on motorcycles and opened fire on them. Asim Butt’s guards retaliated, but the assailants fled.

Asim Butt and Wali Khan received bullet wounds and were taken to Mayo Hospital where doctors pronounced Asim Butt dead. Wali Khan is stated to be in a critical condition.

Several members of the Tipu Taruckanwala gang carrying weapons gathered outside Mayo Hospital, which created a wave of fear in the public.

Asim Butt married a couple of months ago and his younger sister was due to be engaged on Wednesday. His body was given to his family on Wednesday evening after an autopsy. Later, he was buried in a local graveyard.

Affiliates of the Tipu gang blamed the city police for the murder, saying if they had arrested the suspects wanted for the murder of five people outside Evacuee Trust Property Board (ETPB) Building near Aiwan-e-Adal on May 26, 2003, Asim Butt would still be alive.

The Gogi Butt gang is believed to be behind the attack on Tipu Truckanwala on May 26, 2003 when Tipu, his guards Muzaffar Ali Shah, Sabz Ali, Ali Rehman, Nasir Hussain, Sardar Muhammad, drivers Iftikhar and Nadeem, and two friends Nazzar Shah and Mohsin Ali were about to leave the Aiwan-e-Adal near the ETPB Building and two assailants opened fire on them. Five people were killed on the spot.

The affiliates of the Tipu gang said that Asim Butt and Amir Butt met accidentally in a hotel in Lakshmi Chowk on Saturday and had a heated argument. They said that Amir Butt threatened Asim Butt if he kept pursuing the Aiwan-e-Adal case.

Javed Hameed, the Ravi Road acting station house officer, said that Amir Butt and his two accomplices have been handed over to Investigation Police. However, he did not disclose the names of the two accomplices. Amir Butt said that he was innocent but was nominated because of his friendship with Tipu’s rivals. He did not reply to a question relating to his alleged meeting and argument with Asim on Saturday.

History of enmity between Tipu Truckanwala and Gogi Butt gangs: The enmity between both groups started on October 2, 1994, when Hanif, alias Hanifa, and Shafique, alias Baba, who were former friends of Tipu, attacked Arif Ameer, alias Tipu Truckanwala. There was, however, no casualty on that day.

Two days later, Tipu’s father Ameerudin, alias Billa Truckanwala, was killed in the courtyard of his goods transport company at Shah Alam Chowk.

Hanifa and Baba formed a gang consisting of Nawaz Butt, alias Naji Butt, Bohla Suniara, Humayoun Gujjar, Ehsan, alias Shana Butt, Waheed, alias Waheedian, Mian Dawood, Sana Gujjar, Kalia, Pinki, Amir Butt, Khalid Chitta, Khalid Nai Wala and Shahid Lamba. Later, they joined Khawaja Tareef Gulshan, alias Teefi Butt, and Khawaja Aqeel, alias Gogi Butt, in their group.

Five people were killed when Gogi gang attacked Tipu Truckanwala near ETPB Building on May 26, 2003. However, the main target Tipu Truckanwala survived even though he received a bullet in his chest. A case was registered against Khawaja Tareef Gulshan, alias Teefi Butt, Khawaja Aqeel, alias Gogi Butt, Shfaqat Butt, alias Bagga, Waheed, alias Wahidian, Pinki and a former police inspector Muhammad Abid Boxer.

On April 22, 2004, Zafar, alias Zafri, the son of Noori Nut, who was murdered many years ago, and his four accomplices were gunned down in Lakshmi Chowk. An FIR was registered against ten affiliates of Tippu Truckanwala on the complaint of Iftikhar Nut. The police said that according to the complainant, the motive behind this murder was also the enmity between the two groups. shahnawaz khan

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