Rawalpindi witnesses spike in street crime

Rawalpindi-The street crime witnessed a sharp increase in various parts of the city as robbers and dacoits have deprived many citizens of gold, cash, mobile phones, electronic appliances and other valuables in the last 48 hours, informed sources on Wednesday. Besides, a gang of impersonators have also snatched cash from an expatriate in broad daylight in Qasim Market, they said. Though police have registered a case against the robbers, dacoits and impersonators on complaints of the victims yet none of them could be held by police so far, sources said. According to sources, two bank employees namely Raja Tamoos Qamar and Wishal Masih were heading towards home after exchanging cash from Mall Plaza when a gang of three dacoits riding on a motorcycle intercepted them at Gul Bahar Colony. The dacoits snatched cash from the duo and ran away, they said. On the complaint of the victim, the officials of Police Station Saddar Bairooni have registered a case against the dacoits under section 392 of PPC and began investigation. In yet another incident, two dacoits having guns in hands stormed into a cash and carry located at Sir Syed Chowk and took the owner and other customers hostage at gunpoint, sources said adding that later on the dacoits took away cash, three mobile phones and a gold chain from them. After committing the crime, the dacoits managed to flee from the crime scene on a motorcycle. The incident took place in the precincts of Police Station Airport where a case was also registered against the dacoits. A woman namely Sagheer Bibi told Police Station Sadiqabad that she was having dinner with the guests at her house located in Al Noor Colony when a gang of four robbers while brandishing weapons walked in and pointed guns at tenants. She said the robbers collected cash and a mobile phone and escaped from the scene. Police filed a case against the unknown robbers and started an investigation. Similarly, an expatriate namely Muhammad Usman Hanif was robbed off by two impersonators near Qasim Market, the precincts of PS Race Course. A case has been registered against the fleeing impersonators by the police. According to sources, Muhammad Usman Hanif told police he is working abroad and landed at Islamabad International Airport. He added he was travelling home in a cab when two men riding in another car stopped him near Qasim Market. While impersonating security personnel, he said the duo demanded passport from him and also snatched cash from him. The accused sped away towards Saddar after snatching cash, he said. The victim appealed to the police to register a case against them. Police registered a case and began an investigation.