HYDERABAD, Jan 3: Bhittai Nagar police picked up three men on Saturday evening in connection with kidnapping of four sisters and their father, who were taken hostage allegedly by Abdul Raheem alias Ahmed Turk’s in-laws on Thursday-Friday night.

Police said that according to an FIR lodged by Turk’s brother, Umair Ghani, the family had been changing places since his brother had married Sadaf Panwhar, daughter of a senior income tax official Manzoor Panwhar, in Sept 2007.

Turk’s in-laws hailed from Larkana and his family was now residing in Shalimar Bungalows in the jurisdiction of Bhittai Nagar police station.

Eyewitnesses told police that over half a dozen people struck at Turk’s house and held the watchman hostage.

“First, they confirmed if it was Turk’s residence before forcing into the house,” said senior investigating officer, Javed Sheikh.

They manhandled Umair Ghani and then kidnapped his sisters, who were sleeping on the upper storey of the house and their 65-years-old father, Abdul Ghani Turk.

The girls identified as Sarwish, 26, Sadaf, 22, Sahar, 20, and Mahreen, 19. Sahar and Mahreen were scheduled to get married on Dec 26 but their marriage had been delayed on account of Muharram.

According Mr Sheikh, police had raided the residence of Manzoor Panwhar and arrested three accused who were identified by Turk’s wife and son as Nazeer Ahmed Panwhar, Umed Ali Panwhar and Mumtaz Ali Panwhar.

Umair Ghani, who suffered serious injuries to his arm due to maltreatment lodged an FIR and nominated Owais Mustafa Panwhar, Rashid Panwhar, Shahid Baloch and about six to seven unidentified men.

His family held a demonstration outside the press club on Saturday, demanding recovery of the girls and their father.

Police said that the people they had arrested abetted the main accused in the crime.