Rawalpindi Police unveil robbers ring within ranks

Rawalpindi:The Rawalpindi police have busted an eight-member robbery gang, led by two officers from the Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD) of Islamabad’s Federal Capital Police. The gang, implicated in multiple heists, was apprehended with looted cash and valuables in their possession, police sources revealed on Tuesday.

The arrests followed a complaint lodged at the Rawat Police Station by businessman Rashid Mehmood on August 22, 2024. Rashid, who runs an oil agency, reported that on the day of the robbery, two of his employees were asleep on the premises when a group of nine armed robbers broke into the agency at around 4:30 a.m. One of the robbers wore a mask, while the others were unmasked, all brandishing submachine guns (SMGs), pistols, and handcuffs. According to the FIR, the gang held the employees at gunpoint and looted cash, mobile phones, and other valuables before fleeing the scene.

Acting swiftly, the Rawalpindi police formed a special team to track down the culprits.Through extensive investigation, the police successfully apprehended the gang members one by one.

Among those arrested were Tariq Mehmood from Faisalabad and Mohammad Imran from Pakpatan Sharif, who shockingly revealed they were police officers from Islamabad’s CTD. They further confessed to organising and leading a gang of robbers active in both Rawalpindi and Islamabad.

This case is not an isolated incident of police involvement in criminal activities. Previous reports have uncovered that officers from Islamabad police were supporting robbery gangs operating in Islamabad, Rawalpindi, and Taxila.

An earlier inquiry report exposed the involvement of five police officers from the Noon Police Station, including the Station House Officer (SHO), a Sub-Inspector (SI), a head constable, and two constables, in facilitating these armed robbery gangs. The report indicated that these officers provided protection to the gang, enabling them to carry out their heists with impunity.

The involvement of these officials came to light after senior officers from Wah Cantonment, Rawalpindi Police, raised concerns with the top brass of the Islamabad police, prompting an investigation. Following this investigation, it was confirmed that the Islamabad police officers were indeed aiding and abetting the gang.

The inquiry, led by the SP Industrial Area Zone, included a thorough review of the evidence and confirmed the allegations, deeming the involved officers negligent in their duties. The investigation is ongoing, with further action against those implicated expected soon.