Police arrest injured ‘robber’ after calling for help posing as victim

LAHORE: Lahore police arrested an ‘injured robbery suspect’ after he called emergency helpline 15 for medical help while posing as a mugging victim following a police encounter.

The suspect, who sustained a gunshot wound during the encounter, called police emergency helpline and claimed he had been shot by unidentified robbers while resisting a mugging attempt, police said.

However, when police reached the scene to investigate the reported robbery, they discovered that the caller was allegedly one of the suspects involved in the earlier shootout.

According to First Information Report (FIR-1302/26) registered at the Ravi Road Police Station, the incident took place in the early hours of Thursday near 32 Chowk along Ravi Road, where police were conducting vehicle checks.

A police team led by Sub-Inspector Muhammad Aamer was deployed at a picket near the 32 Chowk flyover when two men riding a red Honda 70 motorcycle approached at around 3:40am.

Police officials used searchlights and hand signals to order the riders to stop, but the motorcycle driver allegedly accelerated towards the police picket in an attempt to breach the barricade.

Trainee Assistant Sub-Inspector (TASI) Abid Raza and Constable Mahtab attempted to intercept the motorcycle but were hit as the riders broke through the police line, according to the FIR.

The suspects then allegedly opened fire at the police team, prompting officials to take cover and return fire.

During the exchange of fire, one of the suspects was wounded by a bullet. The two men then fled on foot, police said.

Police subsequently alerted other divisions and set up checkpoints in an effort to intercept the fleeing suspects.

Unable to escape and suffering from a gunshot wound, the injured suspect called Rescue 1122 and allegedly fabricated a story that he had been shot during a robbery.

“When police officials arrived to record his statement about the alleged robbery, inconsistencies emerged.

During questioning, the suspect confessed that he was one of the robbers who had been shot during the police encounter,” a police official said.

The suspect allegedly told investigators that his accomplice had abandoned him after he was wounded.

Police took the injured man to a hospital, where he was placed under armed guard.

According to police, cases have been registered against the suspect under sections 353 (assault or criminal force to deter a public servant from discharge of duty) and 186 (obstructing a public servant in the discharge of public functions) of the Pakistan Penal Code (PPC).

Police said a search was under way to locate and arrest the fleeing accomplice.