A deputy superintendent of police and a robber were killed on Tuesday after several employees at a bank were held hostage for more than five hours.
A police team had surrounded the Punjab Cooperative Bank at Lalian Stop and cordoned off the area, once an attempted robbery was reported.
Deputy Superintendent Police (DSP) Lalian Muhammad Nawaz died on the way to hospital after he was shot in the chest by the armed robber while negotiating hostage release.
Muhammad Rafiq, the security guard at the bank, told police that the robber had entered the bank at 11:30am. He said he had held him at gunpoint and taken him inside the building.
He said the robber had locked the door from inside and forced the seven bank employees into a corner. He said he told one of them to switch off all CCTV cameras inside the building. He said the man had then herded them into a storeroom inside the bank and locked the door telling him (guard) to show him the cashier’s counter.
He said he took his chance while the robber was collecting cash and managed to escape. He then informed the police.
A police team, headed by Deputy Superintendent Muhammad Nawaz, soon arrived on the scene.
Police said they locked the door from the outside and using a loudspeaker told the robber to free the people and surrender.
They said when he did not reply, they warned him they would break into the bank.
Police said the robber threatened to kill the captives one by one if he was not given a safe passage. They said when DSP Nawaz refused to let him go, he shot from a window hitting the DSP in the chest. He died on the way to the hospital.
An Elite Force contingent was called after the shooting and tried to negotiate with the robber. The talk and the stand off continued for five hours. In the end, the robber agreed for dialogue and that he would free the hostages unharmed if was let go.
However, during the communication, when the robber approached a window, a policeman shot him, killing him on the spot.
The policemen then entered the building and released the hostages.
Police speculate that the robbers accomplices were waiting for him outside the bank. They said they were looking for them.
Published in The Express Tribune, May 22nd, 2013.