HAFIZABAD - The incidents of dacoity, robbery and bike-snatching are on the rise thereby creating a sense of despondency and insecurity among the public here.
According to police source, three armed dacoits stormed in Hassan Clinic near Kolo Road last night and snatched Rs50,000 from dispenser Muhammad Amin. The bandits also snatched a bike from Sanaullah, an attendant sitting in the clinic.
According to dwellers of Park Road, some bandits have been ruling the roost in the locality for the past over a week. Armed men raided the locality and when challenged the accused opened fire as a result of which Abdul Rehman, tailor, was seriously wounded and rushed to the DHQ Hospital.
Numerous bike snatching and dacoity cases have been reported which has created a sense of insecurity among the public. Likewise, bandits barged into the house of Meher Altaf in Sherpura and snatched cash and gold ornaments worth Rs500,000. On the same night, bandits snatched a bike and cash amount of Rs1,600 and a cell phone from Abu Bakar of Pindi Bawaray. Another bike parked by the owner Asghar Ali outside his house in Housing Colony was lifted away. Imran of Papa Nagri was also deprived of his bike, Rs 1,600 and a cell phone by armed bike lifters.
Another Muhammad Riaz was deprived of his bike near Thatha Gahra. Three dacoits stormed into the house of Sabir Ali in Shori Manika the other night and made off with cash amount of Rs29,000. Gulzar, vender, was deprived of his cash of Rs8,000 from Kassoke Bypass. Ashiq Ali of Khanqa Dogran was deprived of cash of Rs8,200 from near Kaleke.
Another citizen, Hafiz Nazim Sohail,    was proceeding to his residence on Rehan Colony, Kolo Road when armed bandits snatched away cash sum of Rs. 0.4 million which he had withdrawn from a local bank. It is pertinent to mention here that Hafizabad always remained in the gripe of criminals during the past five years and eight District Police Officers were posted and transferred during this period and all except Muhammad Waqas Nazir failed to arrest crime in the area.
However, he was posted here as challenge when kidnapping for ransom and dacoity had increased to a large extent in the area.
According to insiders, local PML-N representatives are searching for a “favourite” to get him appointed here before the elections. Local citizens have called upon Chief Minister of the Punjab to appoint a daring DPO at Hafizabad without further delay.