SUKKUR, April 13: Four dacoits were dacoits wounded in an exchange of fire between dacoits and the police as the operation against outlaws continued on the fourth consecutive day here on Tuesday.

The police claimed to have either bulldozed or set ablaze all hideouts of dacoits in Alif Katcho, Fatoo Patan, Khadri and Raza village in the Shah Belo forest near here.

A survey conducted by this correspondent in the katcha area of Alif Katcho, which is said to be the main hideout of dacoits, the area has been cleaned up and the police have bulldozed or set ablaze all katcha houses, huts and bushes in the area.

However, according to Sukkur DPO Ghulam Shabbir Shaikh, the police have failed to cross the River Indus towards Shikarpur, as sufficient equipment are not available to the police.

The DPO said that a large number of dacoits were hiding in areas on the other side of the river. The police were not crossing the river as dacoits had established their hideouts there and were hiding in the trees, he said and added that if the police tried to cross the river on boats, loss of life was very likely. He said that the police had sought helicopters from the government, so that they could con.

Our Shikarpur Correspondent adds: A heavy police contingent have started operations against dacoits in the katcha areas, within the jurisdiction of Bachal Bhayo police station on Tuesday morning.

Police were informed that the notorious dacoits Abdullah Dhamyo and Gulabi Shaikh were at their hideouts along with other gangsters. Police attacked the hideouts and set them on fire, after a heavy exchange of fire lasted eight hours. However, the dacoits escaped from the scene.

KIDNAPPED: Two young girls were abducted by their relatives when they went to attend a marriage ceremony here on Monday evening. Ali Sher Sanjrani, father of the girls Asima and sister Amna, has lodged an FIR with police against his five relatives.