THATTA, March 30: Four policemen, including an ASI, were maltreated and held hostage by alleged drug paddlers and their supporters in Pathan Colony on the outskirts of Thatta on Wednesday. ASI Mohammad Hassan Zangejo with three policemen had raided a narcotics den in the colony and seized a considerable quantity of hashish.

When police tried to arrest people running the den, a large number of residents, said to be supporters of the peddlers, attacked them, hurled stones on their van and smashed its windscreen.

The enraged people held the four policemen hostage at gunpoint.

Thatta police SHO Yaqoob Bhatti along with the DSP (investigation) reached the place, held talks with hostagetakers and succeeded in getting the hostages released.

The DSP claimed that police had arrested three drug peddlers. However, no FIR has been lodged till the filing of the report.

FIR: On the directives of the RPO, Hyderabad, the Sujawal police registered on Wednesday a case against seven men on the charge of attacking and torturing Jamil Ahmed Memon, the editor of a periodical, Udaar.

Edho Aamro, Mohammad Aamro and others were nominated in the FIR registered under section 147, 148, 149, 337, A504-F and 506/2 of the PPC. No arrest has been made so far.

DISTRICT COUNCIL: The district council, through a resolution adopted at its Wednesday’s session, called upon the district police to improve law and order situation and control increasing crime in the district.

The resolution was tabled by Nazim of Chhato Chand union council Abdul Wahid Brohi and adopted after a comprehensive debate.

The council unanimously adopted another resolution, demanding a public holiday on the occasion of the annual Urs of Sufi Shah Inayat Shaheed.

Zulekhan Mirbahar said that Shah Inayat was a symbol of the rights of peasants as he had given them the slogan “One who ploughs, has the right to eat the crop”.