RAWALPINDI: An elderly man and his daughter-in-law, settled in the UK, were shot and injured by four robbers who escaped with 3,340 British pounds, gold jewellery worth over Rs13.4 million, five mobile phones and Rs22,000.

The expatriates were going home after landing at Islamabad International Airport on Sunday when the incident occurred.

Tikka Khan, 68, and his daughter-in-law Maryam, 33, were shot on offering resistance while other members of the family remained unhurt. Mohammad Anwar, a resident of Kalar Syedan, lodged an FIR with the police stating his elder brother Tikka Khan along with his wife Husan Jan, 63, and the daughter-in-law arrived from London at 1am.

He said he along with the family left the airport for Kalar Syedan in a van which was driven by Waheed Ahmed. He said as their van was crossing the Saghri bus stop, a black car hit it from behind. The car then overtook the van and its occupants forced the driver to stop at a deserted place.

“It was 3am when our van was intercepted by four persons riding the car. Three of the occupants of the car got out and grabbed the keys of our van and threatened the family if cash and valuables were not handed over to them,” said the complainant.

He said his brother and his daughter-in-law were shot when they shouted for help. The robbers snatched 140 pounds from his brother, 1,600 pounds from his wife and Rs5,000 and 600 pounds from his daughter-in-law.

He said they also snatched a bag containing gold jewellery, three passports and five mobile phones.

The robbers also snatched gold jewellery from the 63-year-old woman and her daughter-in-law, he said, adding: “The robbers also snatched two cell phones from the van driver and one from his brother in addition to Rs7,000 from him,” said the complainant.

Masood Anwar Bhatti, a nephew of Tikka Khan, told Dawn on telephone that his family members were settled in the UK.

He said after the incident, a highway police patrolling team passing from the area helped them and called a Rescue 1122 ambulance. He said the injured were first shifted to Kalar Syedan but due to unavailability of a doctor there they were taken to the District Headquarters Hospital.

He said the police reached the crime scene, made a sketch, interviewed the robbery victims and left.

Senior Superintendent of Police Punjab Highway Patrol Sajid Kiani suspended the entire staff of the police post at Saghri for their failure to arrest the robbers.

Published in Dawn, July 13th, 2020