Monday, December 14, 2009

Biggest bank robbery in country’s history, Rs. 521 million looted, bank guards involved

By Aneel Ahmed Usmani
KARACHI: City witnessed a biggest bank robbery of the country’s history in which over Rs. 521 million were looted from the lockers of Allied Bank Limited central branch situated at main I.I. Chundrigar Road yesterday. According to the details, the looted money comprises local and foreign currencies. A bag containing 40,000 British pounds has been recovered from a police official’s house. The family members of the police official had left the bag home which contained foreign currency. According to police, as many as five bank guards were involved in the bank robbery while raids are being carried out to arrest other robbers. One of the guard was identified as Shahid Mehmood son of Abdul Majeed who made his national identity card from Faisalabad. Police has also taken into custody two bank guards. According to police sources, the license of the private security company has been cancelled whose security guards were reportedly involved in this bank robbery. Police have arrested two accused and further investigation is in progress.

It is said that around 80,000 private security guards are hired by various institutions including banks in Pakistan without their proper registration with police. A reward of Rs. 20 lakhs have been announced by the city police for any information about the culprits. In recent months a number of such cases have occurred when the guards are part of the ‘robberies’ and despite such incidents, no check and balance system has been initiated against the security guards systems. It may also be mentioned here that almost all the big bank dacoity cases do occur in Karachi, the financial hub of Pakistan. Sources further claimed that the involved guard is reportedly had links with some terrorists organisation and also hails from the tribal region. Police further claimed they would soon succeed in arresting the involved culprits. (NC Report)

No comments: