JHANG, Sept 13: Five gunmen looted gold and cash worth Rs 8 million from a jeweler in Shorkot on Saturday evening.

According to Mr Ashiq, the owner of Wali Jewelers, Sarafa Bazaar, Shorkot, five outlaws – four armed with Kalashnikovs and one holding a grenade – came to his shop at 6.15pm.

He said three stormed into the shop while the two stood outside and resorted to aerial firing.

Ashiq said the intruders collected 3.5kg gold, Rs 350,000 and 5,000 pounds. They completed the operation in 20 minutes and during the period their accomplices outside kept shooting in the air to harass other traders.

He said some traders in the neighbourhood reached the city police post just a few yards away from his shop when the outlaws were engaged in the plunder but no policeman came to his rescue.

He said Shorkot DSP Ghulam Hussain reached the spot after an hour and rather taunted the local traders for not putting up resistance. “What would have happened? Someone from you could have lost his life but you could have got hold of the outlaws,” Ashiq quoted the DSP as saying.

Traders protested his remarks and decided to observe a shutterdown strike on Sunday.

Jhang DPO Mian Javed Aslam said he had sent the SP investigation to Shorkot to look into the matter. He was optimistic that the dacoits would be arrested soon as police had got some vital clues.

The DPO said any action in alleged police negligence would be taken in the light of SP investigation report.