Rawalpindi-Although security has been beefed up in the city for Ramzan and Youm-e-Ali yet no decline was witnessed in street crime as dozens of citizens were looted by armed gangs of dacoits pilfering 12 motorcycles and four cars by the auto theft gangs.
Even staging of two back to back flag marches of police and other law enforcement agencies in the city did not stop the anti-social elements from playing havoc with the helpless citizens in markets and on roads, they said.
Residents and owners of shops in the city say they were expecting that the police deployment will help curb the growing incidents of crime in their localities during lockdown but people still feel insecure because street criminals are active and strike at their whim.
According to details, unknown armed gang of dacoits stopped a woman on gunpoint and snatched her purse containing Rs 25,000 cash and other stuff in limits of Police Station (PS) New Town. Khurram, the nephew of victim lady, reported the incident to police. They added another lady namely Rozina Zeb fell victim to the armed gang of dacoits who snatched her purse containing Rs 22,000 and mobile phone in precincts of PS City. Mobile phone of Muhammad Ismail Baloch was snatched by dacoits in area of PS Banni. Dacoits having guns into hands intercepted a man namely Zeeshan and snatched his motorcycle and fled in jurisdiction of PS Saddar Bairooni. In area of PS Race Course, three men namely Muhammad Jabran, Imran Elahi along with driver Zeeshan were traveling in vehicle when a gang of armed robbers stopped them and snatched Rs 106760 cash and fled. Different gangs of armed dacoits also targeted Walid Butt, Malik Nafees Babar and Asfand Yar Khan and deprived them of cash and mobile phones. Another man Obaid Fayyaz (salesman) was traveling in vehicle when he was intercepted by armed dacoits and looted Rs 3500, mobile phone and other cards on gunpoint. The dacoits also played havoc with scores of citizens namely Yasir Ahmed, Dr Atif Iqbal, Afaq and Raheel in area of PS New Town by robbing them of mobile phones and cash.
A citizen namely Rizwan Sunny was also robbed off purse containing Rs 15000 and ATM card by armed dacoits in the limits of same police station.
On the other hands, robbers also followed the footsteps of dacoits by stealing Rs 20,000 cash, 10 taps worth Rs 2500, cold drink cartons worth Rs 1500 and washing sink of Rs 2500 from shop of Sardar Iqbal in area of PS Saddar Bairooni. Unidentified robbers stormed into house of Nadim Akhter in Mandra and made off with Rs 50,000, gold ornaments and a bridal dress worth Rs 30000. Robbers also mugged Rs 50000 and mobile cards worth Rs 7000 by breaking locks of shop of Syed Mehboob Shah in Wah Cantt.
In Taxila, robbers stole Rs 13500 and an LED from clinic of Dr Muhammad Rizwan. Similarly, robbers entered in house of Muhammad Khurshid in limits of PS Airport and pilfered laptop, Rs 65000, gold ornaments, eight mobile phones and a rifle. Pickpockets deprived Mehmood Ahmed of mobile phone in limits of PS Race Course.
On the other hand, auto theft gangs have picked away some four cars from jurisdictions of police stations RA Bazaar, Naseerabad, Westridge and Sadiqabad. The victim owners Muhammad Sheraz, Muhammad Nahim, Faizan and Javed Akhter lodged complaints with police for filing cases against car jackers.
They informed as many as 12 motorcycles were also lifted from the precincts of police stations Banni, Waris Khan, Ganjmandi, New Town, Airport, Saddar Bairooni and Airport. Separate cases were lodged against unknown members of auto theft gangs on complaints of victim owners, they said.