LAHORE:Notwithstanding the high security alert in metropolitan during Ashura days, the robbers’ activities remained on surge as they deprived the citizens of 2,250 cell phones in several incidents in different parts of the City.The data collected during three days including two days of Ashura show the complete failure of police officers/officials who did not even bother to pay heed towards dacoities being committed a few yards away from their deployment.Sources claimed a large number of incidents took place in the City Police Division as about 800 cell phones were snatched only from the precincts of its 21 police stations. The Shahdara police station topped this division in this regard, sources said.According to sources, the second ‘lucky’ division for bandits was observed in Cantt Division as not less than 500 cell phones were snatched from various parts of its 14 police stations.
However, at least 300 citizens were deprived from their mobile phones in Civil Lines Division, making mockery of the police personnel deputed at various check points and around different sensitive installations located in this division.It may worth mentioning here that two bandits intercepted a senior journalist Sajid Zia at a point located a stone throwing distance from the Capital City Police Office (CCPO) on Saturday and deprive him of a cell phone and cash. Furthermore, they added, about 250 cell phones were snatched from Iqbal Town Division, 200 from citizens of Model Town and above 175 cell phones were snatched in Saddar Division.According to him, the police concerned did not even respond to the complainants properly who approached the police stations. When contacted, some senior police officers requesting not to be named claimed the shortage of police personnel was the major reason in apparent failure regarding addressing the citizens. They said about 22,000 police officials/officers of both wings – operation and investigation – were deputed at different sensitive points, routes of majalis/processions for which the complainants could not be responded in due case time. They however maintained that at least 120 FIRs were registered so far against the mobile snatchers. Interestingly, not a single bandit was arrested till filing of this report – Nation
