The stereotype painted of your average criminal is a big, brawny man with ugly features, a ruthless look and a weapon of choice at hand. At times, however, there comes into notice a group of bandits that are so dexterous in their schemes that their exploits become the stuff of folklore.
The latest such group has emerged in the form of the 'Seerhi' [Ladder] gang. Residents of District West, particularly those living in Banaras, Fareed Colony, Orangi Town, Frontier Colony, Ittehad Town and Baldia Town, will vouch for this gang who allegedly goes around in a mini-truck with a ladder. The manner in which they travel is quite similar to the K-Electric teams, which has made their movement all the more difficult to track.
With the help of the ladder, they climb into people's houses, knock out the men unconscious with a spray and assault the female members of the household. Residents, meanwhile, have expressed anger at the police for not taking the matter seriously. They have even formed vigilance groups at night to protect themselves from the 'Seerhi' group.
"We have been hearing about the gang for the last couple of months," said Riaz Sahil, a resident of Bukhari Colony in SITE. "We have to stay awake all night to make sure no one climbs into our houses in the middle of the night."
Sahil went onto explain that two men were stationed in each street. If they see any unusual activity on a particular street, they must blow the whistle.
On Tuesday night, residents of Baldia Town caught five men and beat them up, believing them to be members of the 'Seerhi' gang. The residents claimed the men were trying to climb into a house with the help of a ladder. Some men from the crowd also opened fire to alert the residents. Following the gunshots, the police reached the site and asked for the suspects to be handed over to them. The enraged residents, however, refused. Later, a large contingent of Rangers took the men into custody. A few hours later, it was revealed that the suspects were actually third-party employees of K-Electric. The ID cards found on their person, identified them as a supervisor, three linemen and a driver. The Rangers, after initial investigation, declared the men innocent and released them.
"It was an unfortunate incident. They were on duty in the area when the people caught and beat them due to some misunderstanding," a K-Electric official told The Express Tribune. On the other hand, police claim that no such group exists. "It is like the Chadda gang and the Hathora gang which scared citizens in the 1990s but they were all just rumors," explained District West SSP Irfan Baloch.
SSP Baloch added that he had held an 'open kacheri' in Baldia Town, but not a single person had claimed to be a direct victim of the Seerhi gang or vouched to have seen them. He said that a few days ago, a house in Metroville area was robbed and someone said that robbers barged into the house with the help of a ladder. Since then, the rumour mill started its business and now the residents are scared, he clarified.
Published in The Express Tribune, November 6th, 2014.
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First of all the K-Electric Company should provide all its employees and even third party workers working for them to wear a uniform, complete with helmets and harnesses. Then there wont be any misunderstanding. All its all rumors in dist west of karachi. Its all here say and there say. Well the welders are over booked with orders to fabricate iron barriers and you find security guards in almost all lanes of Metroville.