Mob justice: Police attacked for rescuing robbery suspects
A case has been registered by Sargodha Road police against 100 people for attacking officials trying to rescue two robbery suspects a mob was beating on Sunday.
Another FIR has been registered against the two robbery suspects under Sections 394 (shooting someone for resisting robbery), 411, 13B/65 (possession of illegal weapons) of the Pakistan Penal Code after they were discharged from the hospital. The two would be produced in a court on Tuesday.
SP Abdul Qadir Qamar told The Express Tribune that Hajiabad and Sheikhupura Road residents and traders had caught two men after they shot and injured Ahsan, a son of the Qadri Iron Store owner, on resisting their attempt to rob his father and visitors to the shop. Following the gun shots, he said, people from nearby shops and houses gathered at the spot and grabbed one of the suspects, Irfan, resident of Islamia Park, and started beating him. He said the other suspect, Nadeem, of Ghulam Muhammadabad, had, meanwhile, jumped into a drain running along the road to save his life. He said the mob later turned to policemen who had gone there to take the suspects into custody. He said they pelted police with stones, injuring a constable. Later, he said, when Nadeem stepped out of the drain and was being taken to the police vehicle, a group of people attacked policemen taking the suspect to the vehicle.
SP Qamar said the police were able eventually to take both robbery suspects but could not leave the site for about three hours because the mob surrounded the vehicle and would not let it drive away. “They were insisting that we shoot the two on the spot. We have laws to abide by. If we start giving in to such pressures there would be no rule of law and order,” he said.
Speaking on conditions of anonymity, some of the traders said they could no longer trust the police to protect them against robbers. They said they wanted to punish the two publicly so that this should deter criminals. Even if the police arrest someone, they release them after a couple of days after taking a bribe. Otherwise, the suspects are bailed out by the courts. “The police and judges say they do whatever they can under the law. We are the ultimate losers as the robberies continue,” they said. They said they would not let any robber go scot-free in the future even if they have to face off the police. However, no agitation was planned for the next few days.
The FIR against the traders and residents of Hajiabad was registered under sections 353, 156, 324, 427, 148 and 149.
The area falls under Madina Town police and has seen several robberies over the last six months. Out of the 7,298 robberies taking place in five towns of Faisalabad, 1,949 were in Madina Town. Next in the list are Allama Iqbal Town with 1,619 crimes, Lyallpur Town with 1,332, Saddar Division with 1,263 and Jaranwala Town with 1,126.
Twenty seven people were killed by unidentified men on resisting robberies and 20 robbery suspects were killed in police encounters. No arrests were made in any of these robberies.
Published in The Express Tribune, July 12th, 2011.
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There is an Indian movie on the current situation.... the people used to catch the thief and put acid on him.... and then kill him i think it will start in Pakistan, as everybody knows the Police is there only to bother the poor and assist the rich.