Roughed up: Villagers beat up ‘robbers’ in Faisalabad

One of the villagers was injured by the robbers’ firing.

FAISALABAD:

Two men said to be robbers were caught and beaten up by villagers here on Friday.

Earlier, one of the villagers was injured in shooting by one of the robbers. He was taken to a hospital, where he was said to be in critical condition.

The robbers were eventually handed over to Chak Jhumra police.

Witnesses told police that the two men were fleeing on a motorcycle after snatching cash and jewellery at gunpoint from Muhammad Waris and his wife near their house in Chak-118 Bathan.

They said Waris had informed his brother Muhammad Mazhar about the incident through a cell phone.



They said Mazhar gathered some villagers and chased the robbers. They caught them on their way out from the village and beat them up.

They said one of the robbers shot some bullets, hitting Mazhar in the head with one.

Mazhar was taken to Allied Hospital, where doctors treating him said that he was in critical condition.

Witnesses said the villagers got violent and started beating the robbers with sticks. Some of them also hit them with bricks. They continued until the robbers fainted.

A Chak Jhumra police team, headed by Station House Officer Inspector Rana Mazharul Haq, finally arrived at the scene and took the robbers in their custody.

They were taken to a hospital, where doctors said that they were both in critical condition. They were identified as Muhammad Faisal and Nadeem Ahmad.



Later, the villagers staged a demonstration accusing the police of having failed to control crime.

Nabeel Ali, one of the villagers, said that the police were informed soon after Waris and his wife were mugged, but did not respond to the complaint. He said they were also informed when Mazhar was shot, but by the time the police arrived he had been taken to the hospital. He said that criminals in the area were supported by the some police officials.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 21^st, 2013.