June 26, 2008	Thursday	Jamadi-us-Sani 21, 1429

BADIN, June 25: A large number of people belonging to Kolhi community blocked the Badin-Karachi National Highway at Morjhar bridge on Wednesday by placing the body of an 80-year-old man on the road. They were protesting against kidnapping of 15 members of three families.

The protesters said that the head of the families, Dharmoon Kolhi, had had a heart attack and died after hearing about kidnapping.

Landlords Tahir Mirza and Mohammad Din Mirza on whose lands the families had been working for a year in Chak No.48 of Golarchi sold them to landlord Dur Mohammad Lashari of Mirpurkhas two days ago to usurp their share in crops, they said.

Lashari kidnapped all the family members including three children Heero, Suraj and Jamna, women Lachhi, Venhoon and Rani and male members Heman, Pinyo, Vehoo, Bhemraj, Dano, Umyo, Kakoo, Rajo and Bhopiyo.

He had kept them in chains in his private jail and was subjecting them to inhuman atrocities, they claimed.

Later, they ended the protest and dispersed peacefully after DSP Jamil Qureshi and PPP leader Peroze Shahani assured them that a criminal case would be registered against the landlords. However, no FIR was lodged till the filing of this report.—Correspondent