Bank robbery: DSP, SHO suspended

Six armed men loot Rs4.5 million from private bank and police fail to respond in timely manner

ISLAMABAD:

The interior minister on Friday suspended two police officials while issuing a show-cause notice to another. A day earlier, six armed men looted Rs4.5 million from a private bank near Koral Police Station and the police failed to respond in a timely manner, despite being in close proximity to the crime scene.

Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan issued suspension orders for Deputy Superintendent of Police Fida Satti and Koral SHO Jamshed Khan, besides issuing a show-cause notice to Superintendent of Police (Rural) Yasir Afridi, said a statement issued by the ministry.

According to the statement, the minister has also warned on police officers to improve performance.  “Stern action would be taken against senior police officials if they fail to deliver,” the statement quoted the minister as saying.

Meanwhile, no progress has been made in the investigation, but the police have decided to take action against the owner of the company which installed CCTV cameras at the bank branch, as the cameras were not working when the robbers struck, investigation officer Ghulam Muhammad said.

Published in The Express Tribune, April 4^th, 2015.