KASUR, Sept 17: Four robbers deprived the cashier of a textile mills of Rs 500,000 in cash and a security guard of his weapons near Jambar, Multan Road, in Phoolnagar City police limits on Monday afternoon.

The crime reportedly occurred in close proximity of Phoolnagar Sadar police station but personnel deputed there did not react swiftly for `lack’ of territorial jurisdiction. The robbers had fled before the City police personnel came into action.

Amir Textiles Mills’ cashier Zahoor Alam, gunman Mahmood Ahmed and driver Riaz were returning after withdrawing cash from a Pattoki bank on a company vehicle and going towards Phoolnagar at around 2pm when intercepted by the robbers who were also chasing them on a car bearing LZK-8862 number plate.

The robbers took them on gunpoint, snatched cash and weapons from the gunman and fled.

The robbery victims rushed to Sadar police station but SHO Malik Tarrique refused to take any action, saying the crime scene did not fall in the territorial jurisdiction of his police station.

It was too late for City police personnel to chase the robbers when they were informed about the incident. Later, a traders’ delegation from Phoolnagar met the Kasur district police officer (DPO) at his office in the evening and expressed concern over deteriorating security situation in the district.

Ten traders including the office-bearers of Anjuman-i-Tajran led by Sheikh Muhammad Mansha protested the indifference of Sadar SHO for avoiding taking any action against robbers on technical grounds.

They also apprised the DPO of their concerns on overall worsening security situation, particularly in Phoolnagar area. A member of the delegation, Sheikh Muhammad Akram, said he had been robbed twice during the preceding 30 days.

The delegation informed the DPO that three robbery bids had occurred during the past 48 hours including the one in which a security guard was shot dead on resistance.

The traders also protested the conduct of Phoolnagar City SHO Rana Mukhtar, who, according to them, was bent upon avenging traders for filing repeated complaints of abuse of authority against him with higher police authorities.

They said that the SHO had recently registered fake cases under Section 16 of the Maintenance of Public Order against four traders and put them behind the bars to victimise them for lodging complaints against him.

The DPO ensured the delegation that he would himself probe into the complaints to provide them justice.