Daily Times

LAHORE: Dacoits, robbers and other criminals have taken over the control of provincial metropolis and they are depriving citizens of their precious belongings while also beating up or even killing those who try to resist them on roads and streets of the city.

Sources in police department informed Daily Times on Sunday that there were more than 1,000 incidents of snatching mainly targeting handbags, mobile phones, cash and jewellery in different parts of the city.

Police head constable Nawaz deputed in traffic headquarters Qurban Lines was on his way to his son’s shop in Nishter Colony police station area where two bike riders stopped him at gunpoint and demanded cash as well as other valuables but Nawaz resisted. One of the dacoits fired straight shots on Nawaz’s chest resulting in his immediate death. The dacoits took away his cash, cell phone and other valuables and easily managed to escape from the crime scene.

Upon being informed, police officers and officials reached the spot and started investigation after cordoning off the whole area. The police registered a case of dacoity cum murder against two unknown persons on the complaint of Nawaz’s son Ali. The police has not arrested or traced any clue of the criminals so far. The body was sent to the city morgue for autopsy.

Separately, four dacoits entered a house in Shafiqabad and held the inmates hostage at gunpoint where they looted cash and gold ornaments worth more than Rs 400,000. Three dacoits barged into the house of a man Amjad in Gulshan Iqbal and looted cash and other valuable worth Rs 250,000 on gunpoint.

Dacoits, thieves and gangsters have bypassed all security measures in making the lives of citizens a living hell and the spell of street crimes has now become a norm.

A gang of teenage boys belonging to different parts of the province armed with pistols operate in the city round the clock. These criminals snatch mobiles, handbags, watches or whatever they find on their victims. The Dolphin Force, Muhafiz police, Mujahid Police Force, PRU, Quick Response Force, Tiger squad and so many other wings of police and law enforcement agencies remained no good for protecting any of the victims.

It was learnt through reliable police sources that criminal gangs working in the outskirts of the city collaborate with each other and target posh and urban localities of Lahore on daily basis.

Talking exclusively to Daily Times, affected citizens Amjad, Shahzad, Kamran and others said that unemployment and criminal cases are increasing high across the city. They said that different gangs of teenage boys, criminals and proclaimed offenders are moving freely on the roads and have deprived the innocent citizens of their valuables and freedom.

Operations deputy inspector general said that the elimination of crimes from the city is the topmost priority of his department while a comprehensive strategy is being chalked out for eradication of street crimes.

He added that these criminal gangs are well aware of the city map and immediately flee from inroads and small streets soon after committing these crimes.

He added that Lahore police had been directed to take timely legal action on receiving any information from citizens and those who will show dereliction of duty will be dealt strictly at the departmental level.

Published in Daily Times, November 26^th 2018.