Citizens beat up ‘robbers’ in three incidents

Police say they will catch the ones who fled in 48 hours.

MULTAN:

Alleged robbers were beaten up by citizens in three incidents before they were handed over to police on Thursday and Friday. 

Five armed men entered a house in Kashif Colony, Makhdoom Rasheed on Thursday. They beat up a resident, Zahid, and tied him up. The robbers were collecting the valuables when Zahid’s mother, Shameem Bibi, who had gone shopping, returned home. She cried for help and alerted the neighbours about the robbery.

The neighbours gathered in front of the house while Shameem Bibi managed to pin down one of the robbers. The rest of the robbers managed to flee from the backdoor. The robber who had been caught was dragged onto the street and beaten up.

Makhdoompur police arrived at the scene an hour later and took the man into custody. SHO Khalid Joiya told The Express Tribune that they had leads on the rest of the robbers and would arrest them soon.

“The residents had taken a big risk trying to apprehend the robbers themselves,” he said. The gang has been robbing houses in the area for two months, one of their members had been arrested earlier, he said.

Separately, two armed men entered a house in Gulgasht Colony on Thursday night. The residents tried to resist them but the robbers fired some shots in the air. Upon hearing the shots, some of the neighbours gathered in front of the house and shot at the robbers.

The shootout went on till the robbers ran out of ammunition. The neighbours then overpowered the robbers and beat them up before they were handed over to Gulgasht police.

Gulgasht SHO Jamshaid Akram told The Express Tribune that they had been looking for the robbers for the last six months. He said the gang used to rob houses in various vicinities each month. They had targeted houses in Gulgasht three months ago as well, he said.

On Friday, four armed men entered Allah Ditta’s house in Qadir Abad Colony. They beat him up badly. A security guard in the area heard Allah Ditta’s cries and alerted neighbours. Several people gathered in front of Allah Ditta’s house and shot at the robbers. The shootout went on for about half an hour. The neighbours managed to catch two of the robbers, while the other two fled. They had been badly injured.

Police said two of the robbers, Omar and Usman, had been wanted for several robbers in the area.

Police said that the neighbours were not letting go of the robbers and kept beating them. Omar and Usman were finally taken to Nishtar Hospital for treatment, police said.

Allah Ditta was admitted to the Nishter Hospital’s Emergency Ward. Doctors said the robbers and Allah Ditta were in a stable condition and would be discharged in 48 hours.

SHO Gulzar Tulla of Chehlak police station said the other two robbers would be arrested soon. He said the gang had previously served two to three years in prison.

He assured the residents of the colony that the remaining two robbers would be arrested in the next 48 hours.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 11^th, 2014.