Spree of dacoities continues unabated in Islamabad

Islamabad: Continuing their rampage, the armed dacoits and robbers looted houses, cash vans and took away cash, gold ornaments and other valuables to the tune of Rs70 million during the last less than one month.

The looting spree occurred in the jurisdictions of F-11, G-11, Shahzad Town and Koral Police Station areas when bike riding gunmen robbed the people after making them hostage publicly in broad daylight at gun point.

In a case when a victim woman contacted the area police and requested arresting the robbers, expressing their vulnerability, retorted that the gangsters could not be caught in CCTV cameras of Safe City Project installed in the area where the incident of mugging occurred.

“The gangsters have to appear in front of the CCTV Cameras for their arrests, otherwise, the police would not be responsible for taking action against the criminals.

Mst. Sadia Rehman ,wife of Usman Ghani, resident of 821, Street-13, G/11-1 lodged a complaint with the Ramna Police Station, saying that on 23rd September, 2019, she reached her home at 4.40 pm along with her kids on her car (AB-5418), stopped at main gate and came out of the car to open the gate when two gunmen held her at gun point. They took out key of her car and snatched out her bangles and other gold ornaments. “They threw car’s key and ran away with snatched ornaments when I shouted for help,” she maintained.

The Ramna Police registered FIR (326/19) under section 392 PPC but haven’t yet succeeded to make headway to the gangsters active in F-11 and G-11 for a long. However, police claimed that the gangsters were not local, they hailed from Afghanistan, and usually leave Islamabad after committing crimes and come back to hit new places after two to three months.

On 12th September, a gang of 5 dacoits looted a farmhouse and made way with cash and jewellery to the tune of Rs30 million after making hostage entire family at gun point. Hashim Asad, resident of farmhouse at Archer Scheme, Murree Road, lodged a complaint with the Khanna Police Station saying that 5 gunmen jumped into his farmhouse and held all family members at gun point. They collected diamond jewellery set, gold ornaments, cash and other valuable worth 30 million rupees and ran away with his car ADT-061.

On 13th September, four robbers jumped into the house of Mohammad Ali, resident of 64/A, Street-51, F-11/3 at midnight and looted cash and gold to the tune of Rs1.5 million after holding the head of the family at gun point and ran away. The Shalimar Police registered the FIR under section 392 PPC and started investigation but got no clue.

Four gangsters equipped with lethal weapons robbed cash, gold ornaments, a car and other valuables worth Rs4 million after barging into the house of Naveed Ashraf, resident of House No 98, Street-22, Sector F-10/2. Shalimar police registered FIR under section 392 PPC but got nothing.

On 23rd September, a known merchant, Ali Iftikhar resident of 771, Street-45, G-10/2 lodged a complaint with the Sabzi Mandi Police Station saying that he was running a whole-sale business at I-11/3. On 22nd September, he was present at his shop with salesmen when three people equipped with weapons, entered into the shop and took control over the business centre. One of them stood at the main entrance while second took control at rear entrance and the third took cash counter and collected Rs460,000 cash and ran away. The Sabzi Mandi Police have registered FIR (361/19) and handed the case over to investigation cell.

Another robbery occurred in the jurisdiction of Sabzi Mandi Police Station on 28th September, when car-riding muggers intercepted a car at I-10/2 and deprived them of foreign currency and gold ornaments worth Rs1.5 million. Tahir Abbasi, lodged a complaint with the Sabzi Mandi Police Station saying that he went to receive his brother and sister-in-law from Islamabad International Airport. At about 5.15 am when they reached his house in Street 92, I/10-2, car riding muggers intercepted them and held them at gun point. They looted foreign currency and gold and ran away. Two consecutive dacoities in the jurisdictions of Koral and Shahzad Twon police stations shocked the people of Islamabad.

On October 1, six gunmen riding two bikes looted a cash van of post office that was unloading cash in a Post Office at Rawal Town. The gunmen looted cash of Rs15,360,000 in broad daylight and sped away without any resistance. The Shahzad Town Police registered the case under section 395 PPC on the complaint of Ejaz Paracha, Post Master.

While, on same day, two bike riding gunmen looted Rs9 million near Block-A of Gulberg Green and sped away. The Koral Police have registered FIR (469/19) under section 395 and referred the case to investigation department. Ends

Deputy Inspector General of Police (Operations) when contacted by this correspondent for his comments said, “We are concentrating of enhancing patrolling system in streets especially in F-11, G-11, F-10, G-10 and I sectors. Teams comprising experts in investigation skills have been constituted to abolish patrolling as well as loopholes of security.” He ensured that such incidents would be countered by adopting scientific ways of security.