Thieves steal 25 sacrificial goats worth nearly Rs2 million in Karachi

KARACHI: Unknown thieves stole at least 25 goats worth more than Rs1.9 million from Karachi’s Gulistan-i-Jauhar neighbourhood ahead of Eidul Adha, police said, in the latest incident highlighting rising livestock thefts in the city before the religious festival.

The incident took place between Friday and Saturday night in Block 8 of Gulistan-i-Jauhar, where the animals had been kept for sale for the upcoming Eiul Adha season, according to police and the owner of the goats.

Malir Cantt Station House Officer (SHO) Agha Abdul Rasheed said that the suspects arrived at the site in a Suzuki pickup van and fled after loading all the animals onto the vehicle.

“The owner had kept the goats at an empty plot and hired a watchman for security,” Rasheed told media. “Three to four suspects came during the night and took away all the goats.”

According to the police officer, the watchman told investigators that the suspects overpowered him and tied cloth over his face before carrying out the theft.

Goat owner Muhammad Osama Khan said that the animals were brought to Karachi for sale ahead of Eidul Adha and estimated their value at more than Rs1.9 million.

A report of the incident was lodged at the Malir Cantt Police Station, while investigators have begun reviewing CCTV footage obtained from nearby areas to identify the suspects, police said.

Karachi usually witnesses an increase in livestock-related crimes every year ahead of Eidul Adha, when traders transport thousands of sacrificial animals to the city for sale.

Residents and traders have frequently complained about inadequate security arrangements and accused police of failing to curb such crimes despite recurring incidents.

Last year, armed men hijacked a truck carrying sacrificial goats in Gulistan-i-Jauhar, police said at the time.

According to police, four armed suspects riding two motorcycles intercepted the truck near Kamran Chowrangi after the driver stopped to ask for directions.

The attackers held the driver at gunpoint, snatched his cash and mobile phone, and drove away with the vehicle carrying goats worth around Rs1.5 million.

Police said that an investigation into the latest theft was under way.