UMERKOT, June 18 Law and order has gone from bad to worse in the district where three incidents of robbery have been reported within 10 days and motorcycle-snatching has become a routine.

Ajmal Mahendrani, an influential landlord of the area, said that Umerkot district used to be peaceful area until a few years ago but now lawlessness, robberies, theft, sale and use of narcotics had become common.

People remained in fear and felt under constant threat due to alarming frequency in the crimes and mostly preferred to remain indoors, he said.

He said that hundreds of motorcycles were snatched and theft incidents were reported during the year but not a single motorcycle was recovered with the help of police. Therefore, people preferred not to get the cases registered, he said.

Mohammad Hafiz Rajar, another landlord, said that after sunset criminals ruled the roads leading from Umerkot to Mirpurkhas, Kunri, Samaro, Pithoro, Chhore and they robbed people at will and without any fear.

Several incidents of robberies, motorcycle and car snatching had taken place on the busy road of Umerkot-Mirpurkhas but it appeared police had turned a blind eye towards it, he said.

About six months ago, Arisar air conditioned coach was robbed near Sufi Faqir, passengers and passers-by managed to unveil the robbers but police did not bother to bring them to book, he deplored.

One Maharaj Lekhraj was deprived of Rs4 million a couple of months ago in the high security area of Chhore cantonment but police did nothing to recover the amount or arrest the criminals, he said. He said that kidnapping of Mukhi Amolakh from Samaro and Khushhal Malhi from Nabisar were the most heinous crimes in the 20-year history of Umerkot.

Sources said that Mukhi Amolakh was released near Dadu after his family paid a ransom of Rs6 million through a high ranking police official and Khushhal Malhi was also freed after paying ransom through the same official. Reports said that police officials handed over investigation of cases after a crime to their favourite officers with a view to botch the investigation.

Three incidents of robbery were reported within 10 days in Pithoro, which took place under daylight within a furlong from the police station but the criminals escaped with ease after committing the crime, said the reports.

A lady health worker, Ms Shahnaz, and a PTCL employee, Daichand Meghwar, who were deprived of thousands of rupees, lodged FIRs but police did nothing.

Sources said that a few months ago Naban Shar escaped from sub-jail of Umerkot and was now freely committing crimes.

Nazar Khaskheli of Kunri, whose son was killed in a fake encounter, alleged that Umerkot police had arrested some innocent people to save culprits and claimed they were arrested after an encounter.

The DPO of Umerkot was not available for comments.

SP investigation Imdad Solangi said that they were making efforts to arrest the accused and control the rising crime.

He admitted that the absconded under-trial prisoner Naban Shar was involved in some criminal activities.