RAWALPINDI: The manager of the bank which was robbed of Rs20 million on Wednesday and three employees of a private security agency were arrested on Friday under the Punjab Security of Vulnerable Establishment Act for not following the standard operating procedures for security.
The provincial government has taken serious notice of the Al-Falah bank robbery in which a gang of six made off with the loot and injured two guards.
The provincial government had asked the divisional police chief to initiate legal action against the bank’s and the security agency’s staff. The SHO of Westridge was also replaced.
According to the new SHO, Inspector Chaudhry Jamil, the manager of Al-Falah Bank in Chur Chowk, Asad Abbas, two retired armymen working for a private security company and the firm’s manager were all sent to Adiala Jail on Friday. A warning was also issued to the bank for upgrading its security measures.
When asked if the police had made any progress in arresting the robbers and recovering the loot, the SHO said: “No arrests have been made so far, however the police have been investigating various aspects”.
According to the Security of Vulnerable Establishments Act, the manager of the concerned establishment shall make appropriate security measures for the protection of the establishment, including the deployment of security guards, installing CCTV cameras and walkthrough gates. Non-compliance of the security SOP is considered an offence.
All DSPs and SHOs reviewed security arrangements of various banks on Friday.
Talking to Dawn, City Police Officer Israr Ahmed Khan Abbasi said no bank had yet been sealed for lacking proper measures.
Published in Dawn, August 27th, 2016
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