LAHORE – DIG (Operations) Rai Tahir on Thursday said police personnel deployed for security duties with different government functionaries would be withdrawn after the induction of 4,000 ex-army men into police department on contract basis this year.
During a brief chat with this scribe, the DIG said the police officers ranking from constable to assistant sub-inspector would be posted in police stations, and ground force would be utilised against gangsters, hardened criminals and notorious kidnappers.
“Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif asked me to launch a crackdown on armed bandits and gangsters upon which I complained about shortage of police force as around 4,000 policemen were deputed for VVIP security,” said the DIG, adding the chief minister directed authorities concerned to replace these police personnel by recruiting 4,000 ex-army men for aforesaid purpose.
“A significant decrease in crime will be the fruitful outcome when full strength of the Lahore Police will launch crackdown on the bandits,” he claimed. He, however, believed that violent and street crimes had decreased comparatively owing to aggressive policing.
Also, a 35-year-old man was killed when a loaded rife accidentally went off by his maternal nephew in the Water Land area near Saggian Bridge on Thursday.
The deceased identified as Ghulam Yaseen hailed from Sargodha. Police investigators said Yaseen worked as a loader in a spare parts godown. On Wednesday night, he was asleep when another security guard Arsalan went out of the godown for some work after placing his loaded rifle there.
According to circumstantial evidence, Yaseen’s nephew Laal Khan arrived there and started playing with the rifle when it accidentally went off. “One bullet pierced the head of the deceased, resulting in his instant death,” said an on-duty police officer, adding the body has been removed to the City morgue for autopsy. No case was registered until the filing of this report. Further investigation is underway.