NAROWAL: Gunmen looted Rs10 million from a bank cash van near the DPO office on Tuesday and killed a security guard and wounded another one.

The police said the guards were shifting cash from the National Bank on Old Kutchery Road to the van which was parked at the main gate of the bank. Meanwhile, the gunmen wearing masks snatch the cash from the guards.

When they resisted, the gunmen opened fire at guards Muhammad Shahbaz and Mahmood Ahmed and injured them and later taking the cover of the firing, they fled on a motorcycle with Rs10 million.

Police officials and other guards manning the bank remained unhurt, but they did not help the two guards.

Locals shifted the injured guards to the Narowal District Headquarters Hospital in a motorcycle-rickshaw where Shehbaz was received dead while Mahmood was being treated for life-threatening injuries.

Local Umar said the district police officer’s office is 20 yards from the bank, and at the time of the incident, dozens of police employees were present at the DPO office. Several police vehicles were also present, but no help came from the office.

Another member of the public Bilal said the Rescue 1122 did not respond to the call, but District Emergency Officer Naeem Akhtar said the rescue team shifted Mahmood to the DHQ Hospital, while Shehbaz died on the spot.

In a video clip, doing the rounds on social media, it can be seen that the two guards are being put on a rickshaw.

DHQ Hospital Medical Superintendent Dr Faraz Noor said the condition of Mahmood was serious. He said the patient suffered multiple shots and he was on a ventilator.

Deputy Superintendent of Police Muhammad Khalid said the police were conducting raids for the arrest of the suspects. He said an FIR had not been registered yet.

Published in Dawn, August 17th, 2022