RAWALPINDI: Investigation into theft from the lockers at a bank has come to a dead end as the police were not able to arrest the lead suspect, who the police say has links with the Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP).

The manager of Soneri Bank Naseerabad, Sohail Anwar Khan had found the bank’s lockers open when he arrived for work on Feb 6. He found the door to the strong room open, the lockers emptied out and the security guard, Sharafat Ali, missing.

The CCTV cameras had been covered with masking tapes, a banana was drawn on the lockers and Zindagi Aik Khail Hai, or life is a game, was written on the wall.

The manager said cutters had been used by the burglars for breaking into the lockers and it is estimated that cash, prize bonds and jewellery worth Rs100 million had been stolen.

The lead suspect, Sharafat Ali, was deployed at the bank a month and a half ago by a private security agency after getting police clearance from Swat.

The police have arrested two relatives of Sharafat’s and are considering asking the KP authorities to move the two suspects to Punjab so they can be investigated. However, the police have not been able to trace Sharafat though teams were sent to his Swat and Swabi.

A senior police official said chances of arresting the main accused are slim as he has not left many clues at the crime scene.

Published in Dawn, March 8th, 2017