Daily Times

LAHORE: The city police have failed to arrest notorious swindler gangs that are depriving the innocent citizens of their lives and valuables across the provincial capital.

As many as five to six people on average are being admitted to different hospitals in the city on daily basis while a number of them loose their lives owing to the overdose of traditional drugs, which is given to them by swindlers in order to make them unconscious before depriving them of their precious belongings.

Such criminals, after developing some acquaintances with their preys, give them a dose of ‘dhatura’ or other intoxicant-laced food and beverages. When their victim falls unconscious, they rob all valuable belongings and escape the scene. Most of the people who fall prey to these ruthless criminals are new to the city while most incidents are usually reported at the General Bus Stand, Railway Station and its surroundings.

In five such incidents during last two days, victims Shafiq and Imitiaz were admitted to Mayo Hospital, Naveed in Nawaz Sharif Hospital and Rehmat in Mian Munshi Hospital. Talking to Daily Times, they said that they took some food from one of their fellow passengers at Larri Adda and immediately fell into deep sleep, adding that when they regained consciousness, they found their money, valuables and other important documents missing.”

A Rescue 1122 spokesman said emergency teams usually shift three to four such victims almost on daily basis to different hospitals of the city. He said according to their records, most of such affectees were found unconscious at General Bus Stand, Railway Station and other busy roads of the city. He further said that the rescue teams shifted five unconscious persons who were found on Motorway, Saggianpul, Minar-e-Pakistan and Larri Adda areas in the last two days.

Some of those who were looted this way were poor people who came to Lahore seeking employment, he said.

Locals believe that the concerned police are playing a vague role in elimination of this crime as all those who are active across the city are working with organised gangs, which are never brought to justice while only a few of its members are caught every once in a while to justify the file work by the law enforcers.

The investigation wings of the respective area police stations are yet to nab such gangs, as all the cases are under investigation.

Most of such gangs allegedly operate in the jurisdiction of the Railway Station, Larri Adda, Tibbi City, Bhatti Gate, Lower Mall, Ravi Road, Rang Mahal, Masti Gate, Shafiqabad, Mozang, Lyyton Road, Ichra, Race Course, Nawankot, Sherkot and Iqbal Town Police areas. Such gangs also operate in important shrines, markets, bazaars and important public places.

Roadsides or streets usually leave the victims of such swindles unconscious and abandoned. Once at hospitals, such victims regain consciousness in a day or two and then narrate their horrific experiences, said a doctor at Mayo Hospital.