SIALKOT-A gang of six masked dacoits looted gold ornaments, electronics, cash and other valuables worth Rs17.5 million from two houses of the same family in village Dhol Bajwa-Phalora, Pasrur tehsil.
At first, armed men wearing masks stormed the house of landlord Barkat Ali through the roof of the house, made hostage all the family members including women and children at gunpoint and started looting. The bandits looted Rs5 million in cash, 30-tola gold ornaments, electronics goods and a rifle.
Then the attackers stormed the neighbourhood house of Barkat Ali's brother-in-law (Behnoi) Amjad Ali. They looted Rs3 million in cash, 200,000 Saudi Riyal, 20 tola gold ornaments, electronics and other valuables.
The affected families told the police that the bandits looted gold ornaments of 50 tola, cash in national and foreign currencies and other valuables worth Rs17.5 million from the two houses during two-hour dacoity incidents and fled away after locking the families in separate rooms of their houses.
Some persons of these looted families stated to be settled abroad for earning. The dacoits looted their lifelong earnings during the incidents. The major dacoity incidents created panic among the local people. They have protested against the Phalora police which allegedly remained failed to protect the people.
It was the fifth major dacoity incident in Sialkot district during the last eight days. Sialkot police have miserably failed in tracing out the culprits directly or indirectly involved in the incidents.
On Aug 12, 2018, a gang of 12 armed dacoits most of them wearing police uniforms had looted gold ornaments, cash in national and foreign currencies, electronics, guns and other valuables (worth Rs4 million in a major dacoity incident in the house of local landlord-cum-educationist Mian Muhammad Javaid at village Noorpur Syedaan-Begowala, Sambrial tehsil.
On Aug 09, 2018, local trader Syed Riaz Hussain Shah was shot dead and his wife and son-in-law were injured seriously by two unknown armed dacoits on offering resistance during a mid-night dacoity incident at their home in Lodharey-Uggoki area.
Social, religious, business and political circles have expressed grave concern over the rising number of the heinous nature crimes. They alleged that the Sialkot police had miserably failed to arrest the culprits involved in crime. They have urged the Inspector General of Police to ensure early arrest of the dacoits.
The management of Sialkot International Airport closed the airport for next two days for the repairing of its runways. Public Relations Manager Abdul Shakur Mirza told newsmen that the airport has been closed for the next two days - from Friday to Sunday. He said that all the domestic and international flights have been rescheduled for the convenience of the passengers.