Violent crime: Woman, cop injured by robbers

RAWALPINDI:

Alleged robbers on Tuesday snatched valuables from three students in Nawaz Sharif Park and shot one of them, after which they also shot an Islamabad Police constable during their getaway.

Three motorcyclists riding a bike snatched two laptops and mobile phones from three students of Arid Agriculture University. “When one student, Memoona Yaqoob, offered resistance, they shot her, causing serious injury,” a New Town police official said.

The robbers left the motorcycle and fled in a car parked nearby. The New Town police informed Islamabad’s Industrial Area police to stop the robbers as they were heading in the direction of the capital, the police official added.

Police officials at a checkpoint on 9th Avenue tried to stop the robbers. “When the policemen at the checkpoint tried to stop them, the robbers opened fire, leaving Constable Muhammad Safdar seriously injured,” said Akhtar Hayat, an official at the Industrial Area Police Station.

The robbers then abandoned the car and escaped on foot. The injured police official was shifted to Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS).

Doctors said the constable was shot five times and was seriously injured. However, his condition was listed as stable. The injured woman was shifted to Holy Family Hospital, where doctors said she was in stable condition.

The New Town police had not registered an FIR till the filing of this report.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 21^st, 2014.