LAHORE, Jan 14: Robbers made off with cash and valuables worth over Rs5.4 million in four incidents in the city on Saturday.

Three robbers barged into the house of Pervaiz in Datanagar in Badami Bagh police limits, held all family members at gunpoint, looted Rs500,000, 75-tola gold ornaments and 14 cell phones. The suspects also thrashed some family members before their escape.

Two robbers, riding a bike, stopped Ashfaq Ahmad near Chungi Amar Sidhu traffic signal in Kot Lakhpat police limits and looted Rs700,000 at gunpoint.

Ahmad was on his way after withdrawing Rs1 million cash from an Alfalah Bank branch situated in Nishtar Colony.

The victim alerted the Rescue 15 police soon after the incident and told them that robbers snatched Rs700,000 from him.

After the police found Rs335,000 with the victim and did not agree with him that he was robbed of cash, an exchange of words took place between two sides.

Kot Lakhpat SHO Khalid Mehmood, when contacted, said the victim lied to the police that the robbers looted him. He said Ashfaq's father was a contractor and the snatching incident was apparently a drama staged by the victim. He said a case would be registered after verification of facts and witness account.

Two robbers stopped a woman car rider in Township police limits and deprived her of Rs40,000, a cell phone and threetola gold ornaments.

Two robbers entered a plastic bag shop in Mocchi Gate police precincts and took away Rs15,000.

VALUABLES GUTTED: A fire broke out in a shop near Hanjarwal stop on Multan Road on Saturday, burning down valuables worth thousands.

Malik Basharat Ali, the shop owner, estimated the loss up to Rs60,000.

The Rescue 1122 personnel said the cause of the fire could not be ascertained.

In another incident, a car was burnt after its engine caught fire on The Mall near the Lahore Zoo.

Sheikh Asim Ilyas, an Urdu Bazaar trader, was going to his shop in the morning when the engine of his car got heat up. As Asim got off the car, the engine caught a fire which engulfed the vehicle. A Rescue 1122 team reached the spot and extinguished the flames.

A fire broke out in a house on Malik Munir Road near Chauburji Chowk on Saturday, burning down valuables and leaving a family member dead.

Police said the blaze erupted due to a burning candle in the house of vegetable vendor Arshad at 9:30pm. The fire also caused a roof collapse. The incident left 23-year-old mentally and physically challenged Sumaira dead. Other family members came out of the house while Sumaira, sister of Arshad, could not be rescued. Rescue 1122 extinguished the fire.

From the Newspaper