Robbers loot citizens at park, fake pickets

Arrested suspects wore burqa, police uniform during robberies

LAHORE:

Police on Monday arrested two youths, including one wearing burqa, who had looted visitors in Shalamar Garden, and also busted a gang involved in robbing citizens by setting up fake checkpoints.

The suspects arrested in the Baghbanpura area were reportedly carrying a fake handgun and had looted and harassed families in the garden. Cantonment SP Essa Sukhera said the police had received complaints of families robbed in Shalamar Bagh. They had also received complaints of harassment of families by a boy and a girl.

The suspected looters with firearms were also reported to be a couple. The police formed a team to arrest the suspects.

Both suspects were arrested on Monday. and identified as Umar and Zain. Zain wore burqa during the crimes.

The police official said the suspects entered the garden in normal attire and Zain put on the burqa afterwards so that they could pose as a couple.

Baghbanpura SHO Rana Zaka said the police had registered a case and seized a fake handgun and burqa from the suspects.

In another incident of an audacious crime, five suspects were arrested for looting citizens while wearing police uniform in Shafiqabad.

The arrested suspects were identified as Usman, Arsalan, Saman, Sahil and Mirza Burhan Baig.

They reportedly set up fake pickets on roads like policemen. One of them posed as in charge of the picket and impersonated a sub inspector.

The suspects had reportedly robbed a citizen of a heavy amount a few days back.

City SP Hafeezur Rehman Bugti said police had seized a handgun and recovered valuables from the possession of the suspects. A case was registered against them and the police were investigating the matter further.

Meanwhile, a girl who had gone missing from Shalimar area was found hiding in a shop after shaving her head.

Published in The Express Tribune, February 8^th, 2022.