rawalpindi - A police officer was injured when three fleeing dacoits opened fire at him to avoid an arrest during a bid of motorcycle snatching at Saidpur Road on Friday.
The injured police officer was rushed to the Holy Family Hospital (HFH) for medical treatment where he was identified as Sub Inspector (SI) Tariq Javed, posted at New Town Police Station.
According to details, three unidentified dacoits had intercepted a citizen and tried to snatch his motorcycle at gunpoint when a police team headed by Javed reached the scene and tried to catch the dacoits. However, the dacoits managed to flee the scene and the police party started chasing them. The dacoits opened an indiscriminate fire on the police party and a bullet pierced SI’s leg. The police also retaliated and shot and injured a dacoit but could not arrest him. Rescue 1122 shifted the injured cop to HFH for medical treatment.
A case has been registered against the dacoits while further investigation was underway.
When contacted, SP Rawal Division Behram Khan confirmed the incident. He said dacoits wanted to snatch a motorcycle at gunpoint from a citizen when police reached there. He said dacoits fired at cops to avoid arrest. He said police also fired at fleeing dacoits injuring one of them. He said soon the dacoits would be arrested.
Meanwhile, the street crime has increased to a drastic level in several areas of police stations New Town, Banni, Sadiqabad and Pirwadhai. The armed gangs of robbers and dacoits have been targeting the citizens round the clock without any fear. Police have seemingly failed in controlling the surge in the crime rate.
On June 21, a gang of three armed robbers had intercepted Muhammad Iqbal at National Park in New Town area and mugged Rs1,500,000 from him at gunpoint. Another citizen Qasim was deprived of cash and mobile phone by two unidentified motorcyclists at 7th Road.
Two unidentified dacoits shot and injured a girl Hajra behind Rabi Centre after snatching her purse containing cash and a gold ring and fled the scene. Three vehicles were also lifted from the limits of police stations Sadiqabad and New Town by unidentified auto-theft gangs.
A senior police officer told The Nation that police have devised a special strategy to arrest the dacoit gangs. He said police station Waris Khan officials busted a gang of robbers who had burgled gold and cash from a house. A case was registered against the robbers. He said have police also arrested a car-lifter and recovered a car from his possession.
Six injured in various incidents
As many as six persons including four women were injured in various incidents in different parts of the city, sources told on Friday. Police registered cases on complaints of victims and started investigation with no arrest so far, they said.
In the first incident, an armed clash occurred between two groups over a land dispute Titral village, in limits of Police Station Chontra leaving some five people critically injured. The maimed persons including three women were shifted to District Headquarters (DHQ) Hospital for medical treatment. Those who sustained injuries have been identified as Sher Afzal, Adil, Mahroof Bibi, Nazia and Nargis.
A victim Sher Afzal told police that he was holding iftar dinner for his family members when three persons Tanvir, Muhammad Salim and Muhammad Qasim attacked his house and opened firing at them. He appealed the police to lodge case against attackers. Police lodged case and begun probe. On the other hand, Mahroof Bibi (the second party) also tabled application for cross first information report (FIR) but police have not entertained her.
She alleged police have taken bribe from Sher Afzal and registered a case against her and her son and son-in-law. Mahroof said five men launched armed attack on her family and injured her daughter Nadia and daughter-in-law Nargis with bullets. She appealed RPO and CPO to take notice of negligence of police and register case on her complaint.
SI Sanwar, the investigation officer, denied bribe allegations and said he would entertain both parties as per law. He said the medico-legal report of Mahroof was yet to be released by doctors and case would only be registered once doctors given him MLR. In the second incident, two men stabbed and injured a young boy on a petty dispute at Bohar Bazaar, in precincts of PS City.
The attackers managed to escape from the scene while police registered case against them. In his application, the victim Basit Khan told police that he along with his brother went Bohar Bazaar for purchasing medicines when two other men hit their motorcycle from rear side. He said the motorcycle riders attacked him and hit them with some blunt weapon at his shoulder injuring him critically.
He told police the attackers later identified as Sheikh Salman and Sheikh Waqas against whom he asked police to register case and arrest them.
Police booked the attackers and started investigation. Irshad Khan, the father of victim, alleged that police are not arresting the attackers apparently on political pressure. He demanded CPO to order SHO to arrest the attackers and send them jail.