Suspected rustlers kill teenager

The victim’s brother also injured in the attack

KHURRIANWALA:

Criminals attempting to steal cattle killed a teenager and injured his brother when the siblings had put up resistance.

Taking immediate notice of the matter, the CPO formed three teams for the arrest of the suspects.

Osama, 19, and his brother, Binyamin, 23, residents of 26-JB in the jurisdiction of the Nishatabad Police Station, had been asleep in their house when three men sneaked into their house by jumping over the fence past midnight to steal the cattle.

The intruders could not keep the noise of their footsteps down, which woke the brothers up to the shock of seeing strangers in their house.

It soon dawned upon them that the intruders had come to rob them of their cattle. They intercepted the thieves who happened to be armed and didn’t hesitate to open fire.

Osama got shot in the head and Binyamin in his left ankle. The injured were immediately transferred to the Allied Hospital where Osama Liaquat died of his injuries.

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Upon receiving information about the incident, the SPs of the Iqbal Town and Madina Town Police Stations, Usman Munir Safi and Shahmir Khalid, respectively, along with other police officers, reached the crime scene and initiated a search for the cattle thieves.

The City Police Officer, Captain (Retd.) Muhammad Ali Zia, demanded a report from the SP of Madina Town and formed teams to apprehend the accused.

Given their intrinsic value, the theft of livestock remains commonplace. At least 1,065,720 cases were registered in 2023, a 30 percent increase from the 763,000 cases registered in the year prior. During the year, Lahore saw the most FIRs registered, numbering 346,677. Meanwhile, as many as 84,471 cases were registered in Sheikhupura, 86,623 in Gujranwala, 48,300 in Sargodha, 105,605 in Faisalabad, 108,491 in Multan, 56,714 in DG Khan, 58,808 in Bahawulpur and 38,978 in Gujrat.

As many as 18,317 FIRs against cattle theft were also registered and as many as 100,000 FIRs were also registered as part of crackdowns on electricity theft, smog and other drives.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 20^th, 2024.