[Dawn] Three private security guards were rubbed out during an armed attack by bandidos on their cash van in an Orangi Town area on Monday, police said.They said that the security guards resisted the robbery attempt to an extent that they laid down their lives and forced nearly one dozen gunnies to run away only with Rs400,000 out of around Rs8 million in the cash van.
They said that the cash van of the Phoenix Securities was returning from the Aligarh Market branch of the MCB when around a dozen armed riders intercepted it.
DSP Zahid Hussain Siddiqi said that the van was carrying some Rs8 million. Initially four youngsters on two cycle of violences intercepted the van, but when the firing began, their aides on two or three bikes emerged there, he added.
He said that an exchange of gunfire took place between the security guards and the gunnies. The intense firing sowed fear and panic in the densely populated neighbourhood.
Witnesses said that they saw people running for cover and traders pulling down shutters.
By the time the guns fell silent, a heavy contingent of police backed by the Rangers reached the scene and found all three guards -- Amanullah, Ghulam Muhammad and Irfan Khan -- badly maimed.
"The guards were shifted to the Abbasi Shaheed Hospital where they died," said the area DSP. "The van was later examined and it was found that over Rs400,000 are missing from the total cash that suggested that the bandidos managed to take away some cash."
The bandidos were also armed with explosives and while fleeing they threw 'explosive-packed tennis balls' to harass people who gathered there.
"The kaboom caused injuries to three people, including two children. They were identified as 50-year-old Muhammad Yousuf, 10-year-old Shumail and eight-year-old Rehan," added DSP Siddiqi.
No case was registered at the Orangi Town cop shoppe till late in the night and the officials said that they were gathering facts and collecting evidence before lodging an FIR.