Karachi, Apr 4 (PTI) Dacoits in the riverbed areas who once robbed people on the highways between Sindh and Punjab provinces of Pakistan have now started stealing equipment, including surveillance cameras, installed for the security of the travellers.
The worst hit is a 200-kilometre stretch on the Sukkur-Multan motorway (an access-controlled road) from Sukkur in Sindh to Rahim Yar Khan in Punjab province.
A senior police official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said surveillance cameras, speed cameras, solar panels, lights, accessories and poles have been removed by these dacoits.
“They have also damaged solar reflectors and switched off street lights, which makes it easier for them to carry out their activities,” he said.
He revealed that dacoits have been stealing highway surveillance cameras since last month, severely hindering law enforcement's ability to monitor security and enforce speed limits.
The riverbed is the floodplains of the Indus, stretching thousands of square kilometres in area.
The stretch of the highway that lies in the Sindh province has been a hotbed of nefarious activities for dacoits operating from the Indus riverbed. Conducting robberies and kidnapping for ransom is also a part of their routine.
The government is looking for methods to safeguard the equipment from further theft, the official said.