DADU: A number of families and individuals were deprived of their money, motorcycles, mobile phones and other belongings by a gang of six armed robbers on the road leading to the Gorakh Hill Station on Sunday evening.

They blocked the road near Wahi Pandhi police station and started looting motorcycle riders and occupants of four-wheelers one after the other.

To warn anyone daring to defy them, the robbers shot and wounded one tourist and roughed up his several companions for offering resistance.

The robbers continued with their looting spree for about an hour but the area police did not come to the rescue of the victims from the police station located at a distance of about five kilometres.

Some of the victims including Mohammad Dadanai, Manzoor Ahmed, Nadeem, Abdul Fatah and Abdullah — all residents of Sanghar — proceeded to the police station and raised slogans against the police for failing to help them. They told the police that they and their families alone were robbed of cash, jewellery and other valuables worth Rs125,000 besides costly mobile phones. Many other people were also looted by the gang, they said, adding that three visitors of the tourist site were also deprived of their motorcycles.

They told the police that a man, Abid Rustamani, offered resistance upon which one of the robbers shot at and wounded him. The gang snatched Rs10,000 from him and roughed up his companions, Faisal and Sadder Rustamani, before taking away his motorcycle, they said.

According to reports reaching here, the looted tourists belonged to Larkana, Hyderabad, Karachi, Sanghar, Nawabshah, Jamshoro and Sukkur.

The angry protesters asked the police to chase and arrest the gang and recover the looted money and valuables from them.

When contacted, Gorakh Hill Station director general Manzoor Kanasaro said he had urged Dadu SSP Dr Farrukh Raza to take action against the Wahi Pandhi police for failing to ensure safety and security of citizens within their jurisdiction.

He said the police officer was also requested to ensure regular patrolling by police along the route.

Meanwhile, the SSP told local reporters that police had gone after the gang and were in touch with the affected people for identification purpose.

He said that Wahi Pandhi SHO Amir Ali Brohi was suspended and replaced with SI Majeed Brohi.

Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) MNA and chairman of the Gorakh Hills Development Authority Sardar Rafiq Ahmed Jamali has also ordered the police to arrest the culprits and recover the booty from them.

Published in Dawn, August 4th, 2020