Rawalpindi - Almost every third person living on Adiala Road has a terrible story to tell about gangs of street criminals.
The residents said they feel themselves insecure in streets even during daylight due to increased incidents of armed robberies and dacoities being taken place in their areas, controlled by Police Station Saddar Bairooni.
On the other hand, the traders are planning to close down their businesses owing to surge in street crimes. The Muhafiz Force, headed by SSP (Operations) Karamat Ullah Malik, seems in deep slumber as no cop is seen anywhere while performing patrolling to curb street crime.
Unfortunately, Saddar Bairooni police have badly failed in netting the armed gang of dacoits who have been on looting spree for the last three months and playing havoc with helpless citizens by looting cash, gold, mobile phones and other valuables at gunpoint wherever and whenever they want.
“I along with my son and daughter was going to home at 9:15pm on Thursday last when three unknown dacoits riding on motorcycle intercepted us at gunpoint at Munawar Colony and snatched cash, mobile phone and ATM card,” said a street crime victim Muhammad Azad while talking to The Nation yesterday.
Azad who is a lift operator in PTV said, “There is no police patrolling in the area whereas armed gangsters are looting the people around the clock,” he said. He said he did not lodge complaint with police. “I know I will have to spend money for filing FIR,” he alleged.
Similarly, a gang of five dacoits stormed into Bismillah Milk Shop located a few yards away from the place where Azad was looted and made off with cash and mobile cards worth Rs 25,000.
Ateeq Ullah, the victim owner, told this scribe he opened his shop at 6:30am to pick some eggs for preparing breakfast for guests when all of sudden five muggers held him at gunpoint and took away cash and mobile cards worth Rs 25,000.
“Police are doing nothing except supporting criminals. The gang of dacoits who looted Rs 50,000 from my shop a re still at large,” said Shoaib, the owner of Saad General Store, located in Munawar Colony. He said not a single dacoit was arrested by police despite lodging FIR. “We have formed a group and used to patrol on road and in street to catch the criminals because we know police cannot perform its duty,” he said.
In the same area, six masked dacoits entered Colony General Store, collected cash, mobile phones and cards and managed to escape from the scene. Police registered case with no arrest or recovery so far.
In another incident, an unknown man came to a jewellery shop located at Ali Town and stole 9 tolas gold ornaments and fled. However, the jewellers and other people managed to catch his motorcycle and mobile phone which were handed over to police. Interestingly, police despite having strong evidence and clues could not trace the robber.
The residents demanded the regional police officer to come forward and rescue from gangsters and robbers.
DSP Saddar Circle Sajid Gondal, when contacted, admitted that increase in street crimes has been witnessed on Adaila Road for the last few months. He said that he would constitute a special team to net the gang of robbers involved in looting residents.