November 25, 2001	Sunday	Ramazan 9, 1422

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SUKKUR, Nov 24: Three most wanted and notorious dacoits were killed and two injured in an encounter with police in SITE area here on Saturday and a huge quantity of sophisticated weapons and ammunition was recovered from their possession.

SSP Sukkur Din Mohammad Baloch speaking at a press conference in his office claimed that a secret information was received that a gang of dacoits was hiding in the SITE area with the intention of kidnapping the manager of A.R. Ghee Mill.

On this information, DSP SITE Shoukat Abbasi, SHO SITE Abdul Hafeez Baloch and SHO Abad were directed to arrest the dacoits.

The raiding police party surrounded the entire SITE area. The dacoits sensing danger opened fire on the police party which was returned leading to an exchange of firing which continued for two hours.

As a result three dacoits identified as Nazeer Hussain Kandhar, Riaz Hussain Kandhar, both resident of Piryaloi, and Imdad Hussain Chachar, resident of Pano Aqil, were killed while an injured dacoit identified as Anwer Maher was arrested.

SSP Sukkur told pressmen that the ring leader of the dacoits Gul Lakhan was also injured in the firing but his other accomplices while fleeing took him away.

Mr Baloch said that the number of dacoits who came with intention of kidnapping the manager was eleven and they included Rajab Shaikh and others.

Police said that the dacoits killed in encounter were wanted for dozens of the heinous crimes and cases had been registered against them in Sadhoja, Pano Aqil and Gudpur police stations.

The SSP claimed that one rocket launcher, four rockets, four hand grenades, three Kalashnikovs, nine magazines and 650 rounds of KK rifle were recovered from the possession of dead dacoits.

He said that the hunt was started to arrest the other members of the gang specially the injured dacoit Gul Lakhan. He added that pathways had been constructed and police posts had been established in Kutcha areas.

Meanwhile two hostages out of the four kidnapped by the armed dacoits from Bakhshapur a week ago have reportedly reached home while the two others— Mohammad Nawaz Sondhro and Asghar Ali Solangi— were still in the clutches of the outlaws.

Sources said that Khair Mohammad Solangi and Amin Sondhro were released on the efforts of influential persons of the area but they also paid ransom to the dacoits.

On the other hand, police claimed the dacoits released both the persons under police pressure.

ACCIDENT: Six persons including two Dubai nationals were seriously injured in a road accident on the Indus highway 20 kilometre away from Kashmore on Saturday.

A hunting party of Dubai nationals with some Pakistanis was going to Rahimyar Khan on a Land Cruiser which overturned and fell into a ditch after its tyre burst.

As a result Saeed son of Mohammad, Syed son of Dusari, Mohammad Yousuf, Mir Mohammad, Zulfiqar and Amir Bakhsh were seriously injured.