Taking a serious notice of the increasing wave of crimes in the city, Regional Police Officer (RPO) Aftab Ahmed Cheema has issued strict orders to the local police to combat the criminals or get ready to face the departmental prosecution in case of their failure. The fresh orders directed the police officers concerned to ensure the protection of life, property and honour of the citizens that was the prime duty of police as the law-enforcement agency. It is reported that the city areas that have a poor track record of policing have specially been targeted for the recent advisory issued at the top. The orders say that the SHO and investigation officers concerned will be held responsible for any serious criminal incident taking place in their jurisdiction.
Sincere efforts to arrest crimes are nowhere seen and proclaimed offenders as well as wanted criminals are striking at will without any fear. The police record says that the number of proclaimed offenders and absconders has increased from 10,000 to 11,000 in the current year. The RPO, in his letter, has held the proclaimed offenders and wanted elements responsible for these crimes. They are committing robberies to bear the rising cost of their undercover heavy expenses. There are around two dozens incidents of robberies and thefts that took place in the city during last 24 hours. However, the police watchdogs are more seriously concerned about a new type of youth gangs actively engaged in recent wave of street crimes. These new faces have made police investigation more complicated than ever. These are lifestyle offenders’ committing crimes just to meet their luxury style expenses.
The experts say that contrary to the involvement of absconders, proclaimed offenders and history-sheeters, most of the street crimes are committed by those first-time offenders who have no previous criminal record or history of arrests at any police station. They have entered the world of crimes in order to fulfill their luxurious lifestyle and high standard of living. A police officer, on the condition of anonymity, says there are around 50 gangs busy in such activities in our circle. “There are a number of instances in which such gangsters were arrested or killed in police gun battles and their families raised strong protests to prove their innocence,” he said. “Out of more than 50 gangs, we have caught at least a dozen of these groups and we are busy to get the remaining elements that are still on the run,” he claimed.
Differentiating between the clumsy street gangs and hardened proclaimed offenders, he clarified that the proclaimed offenders target the affluent houses or financial centres to take a maximum plunder; they don’t risk themselves for small amounts of money in wallets, wrist watches or mobile phones. “My findings are that these gangs of hardened criminals are no longer operating in our circle,” he claimed.
In reply to a question, he said, “In our field work, we come across so many suspects who visit the criminals in jails. But due to overwork of policing, we have no time and convenience to review the visitors’ lists of jailed convicts,” he said.