Trader killed in robbery

Family of deceased stage protest demonstration to condemn what they called police’s failure to arrest assailants.

FAISALABAD:

A trader was shot dead by robbers on Wednesday when he put up resistance.

The family of the deceased staged a protest demonstration to condemn what they called police’s failure to arrest the assailants.

The protesters gathered on Razaabad Road and shouted slogans against the police.

Khursheed Ahmad, one of the protesters, said that Ahmad Din, a resident of Jameel Park Bazaar 2, was on his way home from work, when men riding two motorcycles stopped him and told him to surrender his cash and valuables. When he tried to run, they shot him several times, killing him on the spot. The robbers took his cash and valuables and fled. The protesters said that the residents of the area had already complained about the increasing robberies in the area, but the police did not take any action.

They said the police had been asked to set up more pickets in the area.

The protesters accused the police of negligence. They said the police team used patrols apparently to take rounds of the city for their “entertainment”, while robbers roamed around without any fear.

The protesters demanded that Din’s killers be arrested immediately.

The Gulberg police deputy superintendent visited the scene and asked protesters to stop. He assured the protesters that the criminals would be arrested soon. He said a police team had been formed to make the arrests.

Wanted criminals arrested

Wan Bhacharan police on Wednesday claimed to have arrested two men wanted for robbery in a search operation by the district police and Elite Force. Several robbery suspects were also arrested.

Police said Mianwali District Police Officer Mujahid Akbar had ordered the police to launch search operations in Kalabagh, Essakhel, Makarwal, Moosakhel, Kundian and Wan Bhacharan. The search continued for a day and over night. Two wanted criminals, identified as Islam Din and Muhammad Ahsan, were arrested from Makarwal. Police said they recovered illegal weapons from them. Several robbery suspects were arrested from Peer Pahai, Moosakhel, Paikhel, Kalabagh, Chughlan and Kundian.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 26^th, 2013.