SUKKUR: Six policemen and two dacoits were wounded in an encounter in the Pir Bharee area of Ghotki district, police said.

Ghotki SSP Abdul Salam Shaikh told the media that a police party posing as husk traders was sent to the locality after receiving a tip-off that Lohar Gadani, a dacoit carrying a tag of Rs500,000, was present there at the moment.

The SSP claimed that as expected Gadani and his gang tried to loot the ‘traders’ and as per the plan the policemen whipped out their weapons and ordered the gang to surrender. However, he said, the gang opened fire, which was returned.

During the encounter, six policemen -- head constable Sadiq Kolachi and constables Karim Bukhsh Kosh, Intezar Golo, Ashfaq Gadani, Abdul Karim Kalwar and Noor Ahmed -- received gunshot wounds and were admitted to the Mirpur Mathelo district headquarters hospital.

Lohar Gadani was also wounded in the encounter, the SSP said, adding that he was taken into custody and shifted to the Khanpur Mehar taluka hospital for emergency treatment and then to the Sukkur Civil Hospital for security reasons.

The police officer claimed that at least one other dacoit was wounded in the clash but his associates managed to take him away with them.

He said that Gadani was wanted by the Sindh police in more than 11 cases of heinous crimes, including murders.

In reply to a question, the SSP said the encounter took place on Friday.

Two women held for smuggling drugs

Excise police of Jacobabad on Saturday claimed to have seized 20 kilograms of cannabis from two women passengers of a van.

They said the Jacobabad-bound van coming from Quetta was intercepted at the Qureshi petrol pump on Quetta Road and the two bags carried by the two women passengers were searched. They claimed that each bag contained 10 kgs of the drug.

The suspects, Khalida, wife of Zahid Ali Pathan, and Sughran, wife of Sultan Mangi, residents of the Lakhi Dar area of Shikarpur district, were arrested and sent to the Larkana jail after they were booked for smuggling drugs, the officials said.

Meanwhile, the CIA police claimed to have seized 150 kilograms of cannabis in a raid on a truck at the Sukkur bypass on Friday.

They said that the raid was carried out on a tip-off, adding that two suspects were arrested.

Sukkur SSP Syed Fida Hussain Shah told a press conference at the CIA Centre that a special monitoring of vehicles was carried out to check transportation of the drugs consignment from Chaman to Karachi.

The SSP announced a cash award and certificates for the CIA team that took part in the entire operation.