Two robbers were killed while three others managed to escape soon after they had robbed a bank in Kot Addu sub-district of Muzaffargarh district on Monday.
A police spokesperson said that two robbers entered a branch of the National Bank of Pakistan (NBP) pretending to be customers.
He said once inside, the men opened fire, creating a diversion that allowed two other robbers to enter the bank premises. Muhammad Akram, a private security guard, returned fire but was shot and injured. He had three bullet wounds. None of the robbers were injured. They escaped after snatching Rs1.5 million, according to bank officials’ estimates. Muzaffargarh District Police Officer (DPO) Rai Zameerul Haq ordered increased patrolling across the district to apprehend the robbers who fled from the scene. It was believed that a fifth accomplice acted as the lookout.
The police spokesperson said a police team spotted the robbers near Sanwaan area, where they shot at the police team, injuring Constable Rafiullah.
When police fired back, two robbers were killed and the other three injured. Police said the injured robbers managed to escape.
Constable Rafiullah was taken to Muzafarhgarh District Headquarters (DHQ) Hospital and was later referred to Nishtar Hospital in Multan where the doctors said his condition was critical.
Akram, the injured bank guard, was also first taken to the DHQ hospital and subsequently moved to Nishtar Hospital where he underwent surgery and was under observation.
This was the 50th robbery in Multan division in the last five years. In almost all these robberies, the robbers escaped somewhere near Taunsa. Out of 50 robberies, as many as 40 occurred in Dera Ghazi Khan and 10 in Multan.
Separately, robbers took away Rs400,000 from a man. Police said the man was going to deposit the money in a bank when he was accosted by the robbers.
Published in The Express Tribune, June 10th, 2014.