Gang robs over 30 shops at MA Jinnah Road
This is the fourth incident of burglary at Aram Bagh Cloth Market and second at Akbar and Delhi Cloth Market
According to one of the guards, more than 20 people armed with weapons, cutters, large steel needles and other tools attacked the shops. PHOTO: ONLINE
KARACHI:
A 'tala-tor' criminal gang looted more than 30 shops at Jama Cloth Market, Aram Bagh Cloth Market, Akbar and Delhi Cloth market and Lucknow Cloth Market on MA Jinnah Road, within the limits of Aram Bagh Police Station, on Friday morning and fled the scene with millions of rupees. Taking notice of the robbery, the Sindh Inspector-General (IG) of Police Dr Kaleem Imam demanded a report from the South deputy inspector general (DIG).
On hearing the news, the shopkeepers reached the market and started protesting which resulted in the shutdown of MA Jinnah Road. The traffic police reached the site and assured the protesters that the burglars would be arrested within three days after which the shopkeepers called off their protest.
Street crime: Gang of three held
The guards of the Jama Cloth Market were found tied with ropes. They had been held hostage and tortured while the armed robbers forced open locks and robbed the shops.
One of the guards, Habibullah, said that there were more than 20 people armed with weapons, cutters, large steel needles and other tools. He added that when he tried to resist, they abused him and hit him on the head with a pistol butt. He said they looted shops and before fleeing, also stole a mobile phone from one of the guards.
Another guard, Danish, said that the appearance of the robbers suggested they were Saraiki. He added that if brought before him, he could identify one of the burglars whom he saw clearly.
The shopkeepers said that they received news of the incident at 7am, two hours after the armed men entered the market. The robbers managed to loot a huge sum of money from two of the shops alone, Rs1.25m and Rs0.8m. They targeted shops where there was greater sum of money which shows that the robbery was a conspiratorial act.
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The shopkeepers also said that the guard's mobile phone that was snatched by the burglars was still on, but the police seemed unable to trace the culprits. The Aram Bagh Cloth Market Association Vice President Samiullah Khan claimed that the armed men looted more than Rs5m including US$1000 from more than 30 shops. He said that this was the fourth incident of burglary at Aram Bagh Cloth Market and the second incident at Akbar and Delhi Cloth Market.
Khan said that the last location of mobile phone was a bus stop in Saddar. He added that when the police reached the site, they searched the area for two hours but found nothing. He said that the location of the phone changed after that, but the police refused to follow up on it.
The Sindh IG and Rangers DG, taking notice of the incident, demanded the arrest of those involved in the incident.
Published in The Express Tribune, November 3rd, 2018.
A 'tala-tor' criminal gang looted more than 30 shops at Jama Cloth Market, Aram Bagh Cloth Market, Akbar and Delhi Cloth market and Lucknow Cloth Market on MA Jinnah Road, within the limits of Aram Bagh Police Station, on Friday morning and fled the scene with millions of rupees. Taking notice of the robbery, the Sindh Inspector-General (IG) of Police Dr Kaleem Imam demanded a report from the South deputy inspector general (DIG).
On hearing the news, the shopkeepers reached the market and started protesting which resulted in the shutdown of MA Jinnah Road. The traffic police reached the site and assured the protesters that the burglars would be arrested within three days after which the shopkeepers called off their protest.
Street crime: Gang of three held
The guards of the Jama Cloth Market were found tied with ropes. They had been held hostage and tortured while the armed robbers forced open locks and robbed the shops.
One of the guards, Habibullah, said that there were more than 20 people armed with weapons, cutters, large steel needles and other tools. He added that when he tried to resist, they abused him and hit him on the head with a pistol butt. He said they looted shops and before fleeing, also stole a mobile phone from one of the guards.
Another guard, Danish, said that the appearance of the robbers suggested they were Saraiki. He added that if brought before him, he could identify one of the burglars whom he saw clearly.
The shopkeepers said that they received news of the incident at 7am, two hours after the armed men entered the market. The robbers managed to loot a huge sum of money from two of the shops alone, Rs1.25m and Rs0.8m. They targeted shops where there was greater sum of money which shows that the robbery was a conspiratorial act.
Gang involved in selling women into marriage busted in K-P
The shopkeepers also said that the guard's mobile phone that was snatched by the burglars was still on, but the police seemed unable to trace the culprits. The Aram Bagh Cloth Market Association Vice President Samiullah Khan claimed that the armed men looted more than Rs5m including US$1000 from more than 30 shops. He said that this was the fourth incident of burglary at Aram Bagh Cloth Market and the second incident at Akbar and Delhi Cloth Market.
Khan said that the last location of mobile phone was a bus stop in Saddar. He added that when the police reached the site, they searched the area for two hours but found nothing. He said that the location of the phone changed after that, but the police refused to follow up on it.
The Sindh IG and Rangers DG, taking notice of the incident, demanded the arrest of those involved in the incident.
Published in The Express Tribune, November 3rd, 2018.