LAHORE - Lahore Operations Police Chief DIG Rana Abdul Jabbar has directed police to step up clampdown on the elements involved in street crimes. Police sources said that the DIG also assigned special tasks to all the station house officers (SHOs) regarding the arrest of most wanted criminals and proclaimed offenders.
They said that dozens of surprise prickets also set up across the provincial metropolis to check the movement of bandits and suspected motorcyclists. The police have also launched search operations against the suspected persons in the densely populated areas.
A police spokesman said on Thursday that the Lahore police smashed five gangs of criminals by arresting its 16 members involved in street crimes during the last seven days and more arrests are expected as the accused are being interrogated in connection with the incidents of armed robberies. Police on Thursday also seized more than 50 motorcycles during routine checking.
It was learnt that DIG Rana Abdul Jabber while presiding over a meeting directed all the SHOs to step up the campaign against proclaimed offenders in their respective jurisdiction. He also warned that the SHOs failed to achieve the targets would not be spared. According to insiders, DIG (Operations) directed all the divisional police officers (SPs) to constitute special police teams to hunt down the muggers involved in street crimes. Police are also planning to deploy more plainclothesmen in the leading shopping malls, around public places, and business centers to control street crimes.
An official said that hundreds of Quick Response Force (QRF) personnel are also directed to carry out armed patrolling in the crime-prone and sensitive areas.
Similarly, the SHOs are also directed to dismantle the network of drug dealers, gamblers, and dens operating underground in Lahore.
DIG Rana Abdul Jabbar has also warned the SHOs that they would be held responsible if they failed to eliminate social crimes, which are the breeding ground for the elements involved in street crimes. According to officials, the SHOs are also directed to submit the performance report to the police headquarters on weekly basis.
Sources revealed that the crackdowns were launched against criminals in different areas of the metropolis including Township, Iqbal Town, Green Town, Liaqatabad, Model Town, Johar Town, Shafiqabad, Baghbanpura, Millat Park, Mustafabad, Civil Lines, Hanjarwal and Raiwind, and Shahadra. Police sources also claimed to have recovered huge quantity of drugs and arms from the arrested culprits.
(The Nation)
********