During last few weeks, bank heist, looting the people returning after withdrawal of cash from banks and ATM remained top tragedy of the federal capital Islamabad. The incidents increased to such extent that the residents were even scared to visit banks and ATMs alone and withdrawal of cash turned to a be a severe risk for them.
The organizations which send cash to bank for deposit also had to take special care in this regard and services of security guards were acquired to save them of dacoities.
The culprits looted many cash vans, people returning back after withdrawal of cash from branches of different banks and their ATMs.
Earlier, the police failed to trace out any of the accused of the bank robberies. It became a challenge for the Islamabad Police to control the bank robberies and related incidents. Not a single accused in the connection with the related incidents could be arrested earlier.
At least on November 04, 2024 (Monday), the Capital Police during a news conference announced that it had arrested the suspect who in accordance with their claim was responsible for five cash van robberies at various locations across the city.
They recovered looted cash, weapon and a motorcycle from possession of the detainee, hailing from Sargodha. The suspect had been living in Islamabad for last four years, worked as electrician due to which was he know about every nuke and corner of the city which helped him to flee after committing the crime.
As per claims of police regarding arrest of the key accused of the bank robberies, the citizens who were furious of the prevailing situation took sigh of relief and they were expecting more arrests as investigation will proceed. However, just after two days it was reported that the nabbed suspect was killed in a police encounter. He was being taken for recovery when his accomplices attacked police party near Golra Mor. The police officials remained unhurt but the under custody accused was killed.
The question arises that how it is possible that a suspect is killed after hit by multiple bullets and not a single bullet hit any of the police officials present with him. The citizens question police that every time they remain unhurt but the culprit the traveling with them was killed in firing of cohorts.
The other question that insane the people is that how a culprit gets the complete information of the man who withdraws cash from any bank or ATMs of different banks. The looters were only informed about the total amount who even of the type of currency notes.
Whether, without engagement of the bank staff it could be possible for any suspect to get such detailed information.
On the other hand, how it is possible for culprits to get complete data of the movement of the any under custody accused. Whether, it could be possible without involvement of police official?
During the prevailing year (2024), a total 36 police encounters took place in Islamabad so far in which 13 suspects were killed and 21 others sustained injuries. Seven of the said encounters took place after police conducted raids to apprehend the suspects while 23 involved direct confrontations between the police and the suspects. In five incidents, suspects allegedly attempted to free their accomplices from police custody. Police said that in nearly all encounters, the suspects offered resistance but police officers remained unhurt. In several cases, the suspects were either killed or injured by gunfire, sometimes from their own accomplices.
However, it is interesting to note that almost all FIR related to these encounters contain same contents stating that the police during routine patrolling or at pickets signaled to stop the suspects but the instead of stopping started firing at police and attempted to flee from the scene which led to the encounter resulting in killing of culprits in firing of their own accomplices.
In bank heists, the bank officials needed to be interrogated first. Most probably, any of the bank staff member provides information to the culprit that who has withdrawn how much amount and when he left the bank. Those who chase and wait for the bank customers can be traced through CCTV cameras. The security guards of private companies hired by different banks can also be included in investigation to trace out the entire equivocality found in the issue.
On the other hand, police officials also needed to be inducted in the investigation process. How one gets complete information of the suspects who were taken to certain locations for recovery. Another ambiguity found in the minds of people is that the police teams taking under custody culprits for recovery were attacked. Police terms these attacks aimed to free the custody accused from police custody. The under custody accused was killed in firing of cohorts but nothing happens to police officials accompanying the deceased.
Most of the culprits involved in key crimes were killed during so-called encounters before they could be investigated about their accomplices. The detainees involved in severe crimes were not given opportunity to provide details about their crimes and abettors. The investigations from nabbed accused can expose many other illegitimates which also include government officials but they were killed in fake police encounters before they could give details about their backers.
