Notorious criminal flees from Pindi court

Police, law enforcers apprehend three in search operation in capital

RAWALPINDI/ ISLAMABAD: Notorious criminal Arshad Langra reportedly escaped from police custody at the district courts on Monday after he was arrested by the Rangers during a search operation three days ago.

Langra, was wanted in over two dozen criminal cases on charges ranging from robbery, attempted murder, fraud, cheating and criminal intimidation, had been brought to the court by Race Course police to present before a magistrate.

However, he managed to escape.

City Police Officer Israr Ahmed Abbasi subsequently suspended SI Nadeem Altaf of the Race Course police, who had been escorting the prisoner, for his alleged negligence. Declared as a proclaimed offender by different courts, Langra had been arrested by Rangers on Friday during a search operation in the Naseerabad area of Rawalpindi.

After apprehending him, Rangers handed him over the Race Course police.

Separately, the Civil Lines police on Monday claimed to have arrested a nine-member gang of robbers.

Civil Lines SHO Imran Abbas said that they had initially apprehended two members of the gang over their suspicious activities. During investigations, they revealed the whereabouts of other gang members.

Abbas said that based on the information extracted from the two, police raided suspected hideouts and arrested the remaining seven members of the gang, recovering nine pistols, gold jewellery, and money from them.

Search operation

Police and other law enforcing agencies on Monday conducted a massive search operation in the Bhara Kahu area, arresting three criminals and recovering a large cache of weapons from them, a police spokesman said.

Rangers, police other security agencies conducted searched various parts of Bhara Kahu including Shahdara and Mandla village and adjoining areas. They checked 300 houses, searched 600 people. Security forces recovered a large cache of weapons. At least three suspects were arrested.

Meanwhile, in Rawalpindi, police arrested 20 people for a number of criminal offences including violation of the sound system law, drunkenness and possession of contraband.

Police recovered 3.69 kilogrammes of hashish, 37 litres of wine, 54 bottles of liquor, weapons and fake currency notes worth Rs75,000 from their possession.

WITH ADDITIONAL INPUT FROM APP

Published in The Express Tribune, April 4^th, 2017.