LAHORE: A young man was shot dead by suspected robbers on Wednesday in Harbanspura, taking the toll in robbery-cum-murder cases to three during the last seven months in the provincial capital.

Faisal Ali, 25, and his elder brother Arif Shehzad were going to buy a sacrificial animal from Shahpur Kanjran cattle market when they were stopped by five unidentified suspects in Salamatpura. The suspects held them at gunpoint and ordered them to hand over cash and valuables.

The brothers offered resistance at which the suspects shot at and injured Ali and fled after snatching Rs200,000. The injured was taken to a nearby hospital where he died.

Police data shows three murdered, five injured during robberies in seven months

A police contingent reached the spot, collected forensic evidences and recorded statements of witnesses. They also shifted the body to morgue for autopsy.

Talking to the media outside the morgue, Shehzad said they were going to purchase a sacrificial animal for Eid when five robbers stopped them to snatch the cash. Ali offered resistance at which the robbers shot at and injured him and fled. He said his brother’s marriage was scheduled after Eid.

Harbanspura police registered a case against the suspects and started an investigation.

Investigating Officer Mushtaq Ahmad said the young man was killed for resisting robbery, adding they were collecting evidence and had started investigation to arrest the suspected killers.

The data available with Dawn showed that 1,657 cases of crime against property, dacoity and robbery were reported in the last seven months in the city. During these incidents, three men had lost their lives and five others were injured.

A man was shot at and injured for resisting a robbery in Raiwind on May 29. Ramzan and his friend Ahmed were on their way on a motorcycle when two unidentified men stopped them on Raiwind Road and tried to rob them. The motorcyclists offered resistance. Police said the suspected robbers opened fire, killed Ramzan and fled from the scene.

Imtiaz was shot dead in Defence A on June 24 when he tried to apprehend a fleeing robber. The victim lived in Canada and had come to Lahore to spend Eid with his parents.

Rabia Bibi was shot at and injured for offering resistance in Garden Town on June 6, Haider was shot at and injured in Islampura on June 9, Mohsin in Ghaziabad on June 17, Imranul Haque in Sundar on June 18, Fakhar Usman in Factory Area on June 25.

Moreover, according to a press release, Senior Superintendent of Police (Investigation) Mubashir Maiken claimed that police had arrested 162 members of 64 gangs and traced 584 cases against them in seven months.

He said that they also recovered cash and valuables worth Rs35 million from their possession. The arrested gang members were involved in two cases of kidnapping for ransom, two robbery-cum-murder, 136 robberies, 32 vehicle snatching, 341 vehicle theft and 105 cases of burglary.

City police also gunned down seven robbers in separate encounters in the last six months. They killed three suspected robbers in an encounter in Shadbagh and four others in Shadman.

The newly established Dolphin Force and PRU arrested 56 suspects from across the city, including 11 from City division, five from Cantonment, six Civil Lines, 20 Saddar, 12 Model Town and two Iqbal Town during the last seven months.

Published in Dawn, August 24th, 2017