Policemen among 10 arrested on robbery charges

PUL-I-KHUMRI (PAN): Five policemen were among 10 people arrested on the charge of highway robberies in northern Baghlan province, officials said on Wednesday.

The arrests came during an operation that was carried out after complaints from residents about robberies at gun-point on the Dahna-i-Ghori-Pul-i-Khumri and Pul-i-Khumri-Doshi highways, the police chief said.

Brig. Gen. Asadullah Sherzai added seven robbers, including two policemen, were arrested on the Dehna-i-Ghori-Pul-i-Khumri highway and another three on the Pul-i-Khumri Doshi highway over the past two days.

The detainees, currently being interrogated, have been involved in extorting money and other belongings from people, Sherzai said, adding local people helped police prevented robberies on roads.

“If police continue to chase armed men, no one will have the courage to rob people on roads,” said Noorul Haq, a shopkeeper in Pul-i-Khumri. He called for the detainees to be tried.

In southeastern Paktia province, a four-member group of robbers was busted in Sharan, the provincial capital. Two of the robbers were held near a money exchange market late on Tuesday, police officer Mohammad Siddique said.

Two more thieves were detained from the Zam Zam Market, said another police official, Mohammad Amin. The robbers had no weapons.

Lal Khan, a moneychanger, claimed the detainees had stolen money after breaking locks of some shops.

A policeman, who did not want to be named, said the robbers were residents of northern Takhar province.

An investigation has been launched and the detainees were being referred to the prosecutor’s office, said the acting police chief, Col. Miawar Khan.

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