LARKANA: Days after a major reshuffle in the local police to stop growing street crimes in the city and a series of protests by the Larkana Chamber of Commerce & Industry (LCCI) and traders’ organisations, muggers looted two persons — a businessman and an employee of a mobile phone franchise — around Rs5.52 million at gun point on Saturday.

According to police and onlookers, three masked armed men riding a motorcycle intercepted a car carrying a businessman, Munaw­war Ali Khokhar, while he was on his way to a nearby shop to hand over an amount of Rs3 million to a party as a routine transaction.

The muggers forced him to come out of the car at gun point at old Anaj Mandi (grain market) within the remit of the Market police station and deprived him of the cash before speeding away on the motorcycle.

In the other incident, Arbab Ali Magsi, an employee of a mobile phone franchise, was overpowered by unknown suspects riding a motorcyclist within the jurisdiction of the same police station and looted an amount of Rs25,23,000 he intended to deposit in a nearby bank branch.

Incidents occurred despite ‘strict check’ promised by police a few days ago

The CCTV footages acquired by the police showed the muggers escaping on the motorbike after looting the victim, who was also seen running after the suspects.

Larkana SSP Dr Imran visited both the crime scenes, met the victims and collected evidence. He assured them that the criminals would be traced and arrested soon, and the booty would be recovered from them.

The fresh incidents have caused a new wave of unrest and resentment among the local business community.

The SSP has already constituted a three-member committee, headed by DSP Haidri Assadullah Bhatti, to control street crimes in the city. He asked the committee to ensure early arrest of the muggers and recover the looted money.

Market SHO Sartaj Jagirani and official in charge of CCTV Zaffar Abbasi are the other members of the committee.

Police began probe and picked certain suspects in both cases and was optimistic to find out the criminals.

The SSP told journalists at the local press club that he himself was supervising the probe into both incidents.

He argued that in the last month, 20 incidents of mugging and robbery had taken place in the city but in this week, only these two incidents had occurred. “We are also very close to a conclusion to the robbery that had taken place on Bakrani Road where a flour mill owner was robbed of his cash,” he said, adding: “We are putting in our best efforts to improve the situation.

Published in Dawn, October 16th, 2022