Cops deployed at Peshawar BRT stations for security
Policemen have been deployed at the Peshawar Bus Rapid Transport (BRT) stations after some youngsters had beaten up security guards of the service apart from vandalising the stations.
Hundreds of people, especially youngsters, had taken to the streets late on Thursday night to celebrate Independence Day.
Many of them jumped a fence of BRT corridor.
When security guards of the service tried to stop them and asked them to leave, the youngsters beat up the guards, leaving three of them injured. The youngsters tore the uniforms of the guards and snatched their weapons. Others vandalised different stations of the bus service.
As had become normal for the many months the service failed to run, several people were seen late on Thursday scaling the fences of the BRT corridor to cross the road.
In response to the vandalism, the provincial police department deputed as many as 250 armed policemen at different stations of the transport facility.
Upon directives of the provincial government, SSP Operation Mansoor Awan deployed the police personnel.
These cops will perform duties in two shifts. Moreover, each station will be guarded by at least four armed police personnel.
Moreover, patrolling vans of the city police force will assist these personnel in maintaining law and order at the different BRT stations.
With the Hayatabad, Karkhano, Hashtnaghri and Khyber Bazaar stations of the BRT facing vandalism a larger contingent of police has been stationed at these stations when compared with others.
When contacted, SSP Awan said that they had reviewed the security arrangements made at the BRT stations, adding that the police department will provide security to all stations of the bus service.
He said the security staff of the BRT could not handle the situation due to heavy rush.
The SSP operations further said with the help of footage from the closed-circuit television (CCTV) cameras installed around the BRT project, they had identified and subsequently apprehended two suspects for their interference of public affairs, attacking government properties and personnel.
Published in The Express Tribune, August 16th, 2020.