Over 20 robberies reported in 24 hours

Shopkeeper shot dead by robbers.

FAISALABAD:

Police said at least 20 robberies were reported in the city in the last 24 hours in which citizens were killed, robbed or injured at gunpoint.

The latest was on Monday, when a shopkeeper was shot dead for resisting robbers.

Police said Muhammad Iqbal, owner of a grocery store in Chak 120-JB, was stopped by armed men on his way home from work. The robbers told him to give up his cash and mobile phone. When he refused, they shot him, killing him on the spot.

They fled with the loot.

House robberies

In another incident, armed men broke into a house in Muzaffar Colony and took cash and valuables. When Kashif Ali, the owner of the house, tried to call the police, one of the robbers shot him, injuring him and his son. Before the police arrived, the robbers had fled with the loot.

Robbers took a motorcycle and other valuables from the house of Muhammad Imran in Bahowala. The robbers tied the family with ropes before they left.

Street crime

Elsewhere, Muhammad Faisal was deprived of a motorcycle, his mobile phone and cash on Sargodha Road, Muhammad Ahmad of his motorcycle and cash in Kotwali, Muhammad Usman of his motorcycle in Gulistan Colony and Muhammad Tahir of his motorcycle and mobile phone on Ehsan Chowk.

Muhammad Rashid, Muhammad Idrees, Zafar Ali, Sadaqat, Talha Tariq and Mian Usman were deprived of their motorcycles from University of Agriculture Faisalabad, Tandlianwala Katchery, Katchery Bazaar Faisalabad, City Sammundri, Rail Bazaar and Madina Town, respectively. Estefan Masih’s car was stolen from D-Ground.

Robbers deprived Mian Muzammil of Rs10,000 on Jaranwala Road, Muazzam Abbas of an i-phone in Peoples Colony, Ehsan of Rs6,000 in D-Type Colony.

None of the stolen valuable has been recovered yet.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 28^th, 2014.