A routine patrol in G-9 Markaz turned into an altercation between a police mobile team and four carjackers, leaving one policeman dead, and one policeman and three civilians injured.
Assistant Sub-Inspector Muhammad Riaz fell on Friday attempting to stop a car from being stolen, becoming the second cop this year to fall to carjackers’ bullets.
Riaz and his colleagues from Margalla police station came across the carjackers in sector G-9 Markaz early in the morning, said a policeman.
“The police patrol spotted some people trying unlock a black Toyota Corolla from in front of a hotel in the area,” said the police official.
On seeing the police patrol, the car thieves opened fire on them while retreating. ASI Riaz was hit in the chest while getting out of the vehicle to chase the suspects. He died on the spot, said police.
The other police officials returned fire and closed in on the suspected thieves. During the exchange of fire, another policeman, Rizwan Mustafa, suffered a bullet injury. He was shifted to Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (Pims).
“The local people came to police’s assistance and they managed to nab one of the four suspects,” said the police official adding that they had formed police teams to arrest the remaining three suspects.
Three civilians were also injured during the altercation and were taken to Pims, where doctors said their wounds were not serious.
The arrested suspect has been identified as Iftikhar, son of Dilawar Hussain, a resident of Parachinar in Kurram Agency. His three accomplices are Abbass Raza, Muneer Khan and Zahir Ali, said a police spokesperson.
It was the second such incident where carjackers felled a police officer. Carjackers in July shot down the best investigator of Anti Car Lifting Cell (ACLC) Asghar Abbasi, while he was trying to intercept a snatched car on a road leading out of the city.
While the police managed to track down the suspects in Abbasi’s case and raided their hideout, they were unable to arrest any of them. Currently, not a single suspect is in police custody.
Inspector General of Police Islamabad (IG) Bani Amin had claimed on Thursday that the number of car thefts has fallen 2012 and had expressed satisfaction with ACLC’s performance.
Compensation
Minister for Interior Rehman Malik announced a compensation amount of Rs3 million for Riaz’s family under Prime Minister’s Package for Martyred Personnel. He also said that he will propose the fallen ASI for Sitara-e-Shujaat.
“Riaz set an example of bravery by laying down his life in the line of duty,” said Malik after attending his funeral at Police Lines Headquarters.
IG Amin thanked the local people who assisted the policemen in nabbing the suspects.
Rehman Malik also promised to arrange police jobs for Riaz’s son and nephew. Riaz’s body was dispatched to his native town of Chiniot for burial.
Mustafa, the injured constable, has been nominated for the “Pakistan Police Medal”.
Published in The Express Tribune, November 17th, 2012.
COMMENTS
Comments are moderated and generally will be posted if they are on-topic and not abusive.
For more information, please see our Comments FAQ