RAWALPINDI: The driver of a cash van was shot dead during a robbery in Dhamial area on Monday.

The deceased was identified as Nisar Ahmed and cash amounting to Rs8.3 million was taken away by the robbers.

The incident happened when a well-guarded cash van reached Zafar Plaza to deliver cash to a money changer.

The van was intercepted by another car carrying three identified persons.

Police said the robbers tried to overpower the security guard of the van, identified as Aleem Khan.

Ahmed was shot dead because he tried to stop the robbers from escaping with the cash. The driver’s body was shifted to the District Headquarters (DHQ) Hospital for autopsy.

City Police Officer Omer Saeed along with senior police officers and forensic experts reached the scene of the first incident and collected evidence. Four police teams were constituted to trace the suspects and recover the amount.

Atif Hussain, the branch manager at Currency Exchange on Chakri Road lodged a first information report (FIR) stating that he brought currency every Monday to the money changer’s shop. He said after he got out of the van carrying the cash bag, a stranger walked up to him and slapped him, after which he fell to the ground and the bag fell out of his hands.

In the meantime, he added that two accomplices of the first suspect appeared at the scene and overpowered his gunman and snatched his rifle.

One of them picked the cash bag and rushed towards a car which was already parked there, the FIR stated.

He said Ahmed threw a stone at the robbers’ vehicle and they shot him. According to police statistics, five people have been killed during robberies so far this year compared to the same number of people killed during robberies in 2021.

Published in Dawn,May 24th, 2022