A suspected robber attempting to loot a milk shop was burnt alive by an enraged mob in Karachi's Landhi neighbourhood on Sunday, police said. Two suspects have been detained and a case has been registered by the police.

Eyewitness Saad, the owner of a milk shop, claimed that a robber entered his shop and ordered him to hand over a sum of money and his mobile phone. When he refused to comply, the 'robber' fired a shot into the air.

The alleged robbery attempt was foiled when a crowd of people gathered outside the shop after hearing the sound of gunfire and began to beat up the robber, Saad told DawnNews.

The crowd then sprinkled petrol on him and immolated him, Saad said. The 'robber' died on the spot, DawnNews reported.

Senior Superintendent Police Korangi confirmed that "one dacoit tried to enter Saad milk shop" in a robbery attempt that was "foiled". "The culprit was beaten up and burnt," he added.

The burnt body of the 'robber' was transferred to Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre (JPMC).

"A burnt body has come in from Landhi but has not been identified," JPMC Executive Director Dr Seemin Jamali confirmed.

There were no policemen present in the neighbourhood at the time of the incident, DawnNews reported.

Landhi police registered a First Information Report under Sections 147 (punishment for rioting), 148 (rioting, armed with deadly weapon), 302 (punishment of qatl-i-amd) and 34 (acts done by several persons in furtherance of common intention) of the Pakistan Penal Code against unknown suspects.

The police also conducted raids and detained two suspects for interrogation over charges of their alleged involvement in the lynching of the suspect, said Landhi Station House Officer Arif Razzak.

Initially, a section of media reported that there were two suspects, however, the police said there was only one ‘robber’ as per statement of the shop owner and other witnesses.