September 20, 2008	Saturday	Ramazan 19, 1429

SHIKARPUR, Sept 19: After a lull of a few weeks, criminals have become active again with a sudden rice in highway robberies, motorcycle snatching and street crime -- in Shikarpur district, particularly the Khanpur area, despite police patrolling on the roads and streets.

Unidentified armed bandits robbed an electrician of mobile phone and cash in Khanpur on Friday. On the same day and in the same town, three unidentified armed men snatched a motorcycle, cash and a mobile phone from a local People’s Party leader, Ghulam Mustafa, after beating him.

No FIR was registered at Khanpur police station till the filing of this report.

On Thursday night, armed highway men intercepted trucks and trailers on Indus highway near Kot Laaro in the Khanpur area and looted mobile phones, cash and even shoes from drivers and others.

Affected drivers and cleaners staged a demonstration and blocked the highway near Khanpur Naka No.2 to protest against the incident. They demanded immediate arrest of the culprits and recovery of their looted property.

Police reached the spot and assured the protesters that dacoits would be arrested soon after which the protesters called off their protest and reopened the highway for vehicular traffic.