At least six armed robbers looted around Rs 10 million from a private bank in the jurisdiction of Bahadurabad police station here on Friday morning, police and witnesses said. According to police sources, the dacoits entered Meezan Bank Dhorajee Colony Branch at around 9:15 am.
First, they destroyed central control system of the bank and looted Rs 10 million cash and deprived the staff of their cell phones, cash and other valuables, sources said. They said that due to destruction of central control system, the police was facing immense difficulties to trace the dacoits. They said the robbers first destroyed monitoring system and took all recording cassettes of the system in their custody.
Sources said according to bank manager Muhammad Usman six armed bandits entered the bank and started beating the security guards. The manager said when he heard noises of security guards, he pushed the emergency alarm, but within a short span of 15 minutes they looted the bank and fled. Usman's recorded statement to the police said, "The robbers overpowered the security guards and snatched two repeater pistols from their possession."
Sources said the dacoits forced the staffers to gather on the ground floor of the bank and directed them to maintain silence to save their lives. They said that after depriving the staffers at gunpoint, the dacoits asked for the codes of lockers and looted cash Rs 10 million. "The bank manager claimed that after looting they loaded the robbed material into two cars and fled from the crime scene," Usman maintained.
Sources said the police have registered a case, No 141/2009, under section 395 of Pakistan Penal Code (PPC) on request of bank manager. However, no arrest had been made till filing of this report. Meanwhile, an 'Aamil', a faith healer, was killed when some unknown armed men opened fire on him in jurisdiction of Super Market police, Liaquatabad on Friday.
According to details, a man named Sultan Qureshi, 30 alias Tipu, son of Zaffar Ahmed Qureshi, was going to his home after meeting his clients on a bike. When he reached near Jhanda Chowk, armed men opened fire on him. He was seriously injured and was shifted to Abbasi Shaheed Hospital (ASH) where he succumbed to his wounds. The Super Market police have lodged FIR NO. 167/2009 on complaint of deceased's younger brother Aurangzaib against unknown culprits.