RAWALPINDI, May 2: Two gunmen robbed a trader of Rs900,000 at the bustling Bank Road prompting his colleagues to take to the streets here on Monday, the victim and eyewitnesses said.

Azhar Butt, the president of mobile phone market, Saddar, was on way to a nearby bank branch to deposit Rs900,000 when two motorbike riders intercepted him and snatched his bag containing the cash.

The incident happened close to the police picket; however, no police man was present there at the time of the incident.

“I was walking towards the bank branch when two motorbike riders blocked my way. First one of them slapped me while his accomplice put his gun at my chest,” said the robbery victim

He added: “I tumbled after being slapped and within seconds they snatched the cash bag and sped off.”

He said as he went to the cantonment police station to lodge an FIR, he was directed by the officials there to write a fresh application without mentioning the word 'gunpoint'. The refusal by the police to register the case sparked anger among the traders of Singapore Plaza in Saddar, who closed their shops and blocked the Bank Road in protest.

However, the station house officer (SHO) of Cantonment arrived on the spot and assured the traders that an FIR would be registered according to the scene of the crime. On this, the traders ended their protest.—Staff Reporter