Irfan Aligi
A seven-member gang of robbers have been arrested for looting worshipers at a mosque in Karachi’s Dhoraji Colony on Monday.
The police detained the suspects with the help of CCTV camera footage. SSP Noman Siddiqi said that a citizen, Imran, went to the bank to deposit money but it had closed so he went to the mosque to pray on his way home. The robbers followed him to the mosque and stole the money from him.
He said the suspects have confessed to several other robberies as well.
Karachi Police Additional Inspector General (AIG) Ghulam Nabi Memon said that spectators at the crime scene would form now onward be taken as witnesses to crimes per the orders of the Supreme Court of Pakistan.
The AIG said that in past, only those spectators were taken as witness to crimes on the spot who had showed their willingness for becoming a witness but since the SC has now given a ruling so the spectators would form now onward be taken as witnesses to the crimes and the court concerned would be accordingly informed of making spectators as witnesses.
The AIG said this in a video message he released for the people of the city and said that during any crime activity, people become sheer spectators and never assist the law to grab the offenders and taking them to task but this new strategy would be helpful in eradicating the growing numbers of crimes in the port city because the spectators would now be taken as witnesses. People would at the contrary stop gathering around ant crime scenes as sheer spectators, as well.
Police on Monday claimed to have arrested two gangs involved in looting citizens in Karachi during several street crime incidents.
During press conference at Office, Deputy Inspector General (DIG) South Sharjeel Kharal along with other officials announced the arrests of two gangs.
Divulging the details, he said that one of the groups comprised of three accused and was involved in looting citizens as soon as they withdraw cash from banks.
Informing regarding their modus operandi, the DIG said that one of the accused remains in the bank to identify their target while the others follow him, depriving of the valuables at a location of their choice.
They have confessed 17 snatching incidents during the past one and a half year, he said. ‘Recently, a person named Kamran was deprived of around Rs 20 million from the gang.’
He further informed that they have recovered looted amount worth three million rupees from their possession.
The police also recovered weapons and a motorcycle used in the criminal activity from their custody.
Detailing arrest of another gang, the DIG said that it comprised of two members and were involved in looting 45 mobile phones from a shop in a day-light robbery bid. ‘We have recovered 25 mobile phones from their possession,’ he announced.
