Deputy Inspector General (DIG) police Faisalabad Range, Chaudhry Sajjad Ahmad has said that in result of better strategy chalked out against the criminals, ten notorious criminals had been killed in police encounters during a short period of only one month and now the situation had reached such a point that the criminals were being wiped out and the police had a dominant position in its pursuit of criminals.
Addressing a press conference here on Monday the DIG said, during this one month period, 13 gangs of dacoits and other hardened criminals were busted, arresting 64 criminals along with recovery of looted property of over Rs 27 million and heavy quantity of weapons.
He said that on the assumption of his charge about a month ago, he had given target to the police force that a "Jehad" would have to be launched against the criminals with a view to wipe them out completely so that the life, honour and property of common citizens could be safeguarded.
He said, besides awarding good workers, he had also promoted the tradition of taking strict action against corrupt, coward and inefficient police officials.
He said that he had not only awarded and promoted dutiful and brave policemen but on the other hand had also taken very stern action against those involved in inefficiency, corruption and cowardice.
Best examples of this action were Inspector/SHO Malik Tariq, Sub Inspector Wali Muhammad Wattoo, ASI Bashir Watoo and constables Ashraf and Anwar of Samundri, who were not only proceeded against departmentally but cases were registered against them and they were also arrested, he added.
The DIG informed that during the last one month 64 members of 13 gangs involved in various incidents of dacoity, robbery, theft, house-breaking, cattle-theft and motorbike snatching were arrested and stolen property worth Rs 27.7 million was recovered from them, while 17 vehicles and 72 motorbikes were also recovered during the same period.
He further said during this one month period six kalashnikoves, 64 guns, 173 revolvers, 40 rifles, 47 mousers, 18 carbines, as well as 3,167 bottles of liquor, 24.22 kg charas and 193 gram heroin was recovered while eight working stills were unearthed and 58 drinkers were arrested.
During the same period 552 proclaimed offenders involved in various heinous crimes such as dacoity and murders etc were arrested. Of them five were arrested from other districts, he maintained.
The DIG said that during this short period of one month, ten accused were killed in police encounters including two robbers who were killed in Satiana on Monday whose identities were yet to be established. He said that 189 cases were registered against the remaining eight accused and the peaceful citizens had heaved a sigh of relief on their being killed.
Chaudhry Sajjad Ahmad told the journalists that the recovery of Usman, who was kidnapped for ransom from Faisalabad City, arrest of six accused involved in this case and recovery of ransom money of Rs three million along with the weapons and vehicles was a golden example of an excellent performance of the Faisalabad police.
DIG said that press served as the "eyes and the ears" of the society. They could properly guide us through their criticism for which we would be thankful to them and expect that they would also fully encourage those gallant and fearless jawans of police, who did not relent to shed their blood in order to protect life, honour and property of the common man.
He said that Constable Arshad, who was injured in Monday's Satiana police encounter, was under treatment at local Allied Hospital and besides his promotion a cash award was also being announced for him.
The DIG made it clear that there was absolutely no room for the coward and negligent officials in the police department and not only departmental action would be taken but cases would also be got registered against such officials besides attesting them.
He said that at the same time hard-working and dutiful policemen would be awarded and they would also get promotions so as to encourage them.