MARDAN, Jan 31: At least 23 persons, including two girls, were gunned down in the Mardan district during the month of January. Besides, a large number of cases of theft, car jacking and robbery were recorded.

Mardan is the second largest district of the NWFP with a population of more than 1.6 million. But in terms of crime graph, it often proves to be the largest. Among the 23 killed in January, there were two girls, a constable, a son of a former provincial minister and a taxi driver.

In many cases, petty domestic quarrels led to murders. For instance, a newly married girl was shot dead by her brother in Mahallah Biland Khel because she had married a boy of her choice.

A constable, Imrani Khan, was shot dead by an absconder in Toru village when he was on a routine duty and had asked the outlaw to surrender. The same offender had earlier killed his father after he refused to give him share in property.

People have expressed concern over the deteriorating law and order situation in the district, especially in Mardan city, where they say armed gangs roam freely and harass people in broad daylight. They could be seen in Allahdad Khel, Biland Khel, Old Noorman Khel, Par Hoti, Baghdada and Mayar localities.

The people are also worried because the drugs trade is at its peak, and the armed gangs are involved in this trade as well as in car jacking, robberies and running of gambling dens.

POLICE RAID: Police recovered a large number of chassis, number plates, engines, auto spare parts, tools and equipment, and a large quantity of liquor during a raid on the house of an alleged car jacker near Akbar Darul Uloom on Monday.