A police operation intended to identify accomplices of three robbery suspects ended with all three suspects dead, officials said Thursday, just one day after a judicial magistrate granted investigators a seven-day physical remand. The Special Investigation Unit (SIU) stated the men were killed in an exchange of fire with their own alleged associates near Karachi's Northern Bypass Toll Plaza. Main Developments The SIU said it conducted a raid in Ahmed Brohi Goth, within the jurisdiction of Gulshan-i-Memar police station, to arrest the three suspects' accomplices. The suspects were taken to the location to help identify their associates, but the accomplices allegedly opened fire upon seeing the police party, the SIU claimed. All three suspects and one police official sustained injuries during the exchange and were transported to Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre (JPMC). The three suspects died en route to the hospital, according to police statements. Authorities said they are still searching for the absconding accomplices and that further legal proceedings are underway. Read also: South Korean firm warns $1bn Pakistan hydropower plan at risk Background Dr. Akash Kumar, a house officer at JPMC, was killed on July 13 when robbers intercepted his vehicle near Teen Talwar. The doctor had just withdrawn approximately Rs5 million from a private bank, carrying Rs2 million in one envelope and Rs3 million in another. According to police, four robbers on two motorcycles stopped the car carrying Dr. Akash, his father, and a cousin as they arrived at a second bank. One suspect opened the car door and fired at Dr. Akash, who later died at the hospital. The killing sparked widespread outrage within the medical community, with doctors staging protests at JPMC. The Pakistan Medical Association condemned the murder, describing it as evidence of the deteriorating law and order situation in Karachi. On the night of July 14, police spotted a suspicious car in the Defence area and arrested three suspects after a pursuit. Mobile phones, three pistols, and a white Suzuki Alto with fake registration plates were seized. During initial interrogation, the suspects told investigators they had monitored Dr. Akash before the robbery and had an accomplice inside the first bank who alerted them after the cash withdrawal. Why It Matters The deaths of the three suspects raise serious questions about police procedure and accountability. The suspects were under a valid seven-day physical remand granted by a judicial magistrate on July 16, which had just ended on the day of the raid. Police had originally sought a 14-day remand, suggesting investigators believed more time was needed to extract information. The incident also underscores the persistent law and order challenges in Karachi, particularly street crime and robbery-related violence. The medical community, already traumatized by Dr. Akash's killing, now faces the loss of any potential judicial proceedings against the alleged perpetrators. What's Next Police say they are continuing their search for the remaining accomplices, including the alleged insider at the first bank. The SIU has stated that further legal proceedings are underway, though it remains unclear whether an independent inquiry into the deaths of the three suspects will be conducted. The medical community and civil society organizations are likely to demand transparency regarding the circumstances of the exchange of fire.