HYDERABAD: Sindh Inspector General of Police Ghulam Haider Jamali has dismissed reports that there was lack of coordination between Mirpurkhas and Hyderabad police in an encounter with dacoits earlier on Saturday.

Five policemen and four dacoits were gunned down in an encounter that started last night and ended at 8am this morning. Nine policemen including SSP Mirpurkhas received injuries also.

“No, there is no lack of coordination rather it was a joint action by two police in which law enforcers from different districts participated. Policemen in fact laid down their lives only to avoid casualties of women and children who were used as human shield by dacoits,” Jamali told Dawn.com soon after visiting one of injured Mumtaz Brohi, who is posted as SHO Pinyari in Hyderabad district, in Liaquat University Hospital (LUH).

He said that dead dacoits carried head money, adding that police could have blown premises easily up but for lives of women and children this option was not preferred.

The IGP announced that he is recommending Quaid-i-Azam Police Medal (QPM) for slain policemen and added that ‘their [slain policemen’s)] family members/children would be appointed in higher grades in addition to usual compensation to be given by government.

He said that “Sindh government has shown great concern over the encounter and is ready to do everything possible for deceased policemen”.

DIG police Hyderabad range, Dr Sanaullah Abbasi, SSP Hyderabad Irfan Baloch and other police officers accompanied him on the occasion.

IGP Sindh participated in funeral prayers of three policemen and visited homes of Wahid Bux Leghari, Syed Hassan Ali Abdi, both sub-inspectors who died fighting valiantly in Mirpurkhas this morning.

Leghari hails from Hala and Abdi is resident of Latifabad. Abdi had his eye damaged in a protest sometime back during a protest as well in Hyderabad. Other three slain policemen included Abdul Jabbar Shaikh, Anwar Jamil and Dilbar.

Nine injured policemen are SSP Mirpurkhas Usman Siddiqui, who received pellet injuries, SHO Pinyari police station Mumtaz Brohi, Waris Bhutto, personnel staff officer (PSO) of SSP Irfan Baloch, Sajjad, Mehboob, Shahzad, Mohibullah, Ghulam Hussain, Faisal and Ghulam Hussain. Shahzad’s condition is stated to be critical.

Among dead dacoits are Shafiq alias Chhotho Narejo, Qurban Narejo, his brother Zulfiqar Narejo and Jan Mohammad.

According to SSP Mirpurkhas Usman Ghani Siddiqui, Shafiq carried head money of Rs2.5 million but DIG Hyderabad Sanaullah Abbasi said besides Shafiq one more dead dacoit also carried head money as notified by government.

It was primarily Hyderabad police’s information regarding presence of Narejos – who actually belong to Khairpur district in upper Sindh – in Mirpurkhas district and police reached district for operation. They called for reinforcement upon realising that it would prove to be an uphill task.

Police force from Mirpurkhas, Tando Allahyar, Matiari and Hyderabad participated in the encounter. No hostage was with them at that time. Shafiq Narjeo was involved in kidnapping of Zulfiqar Durrani, son of High Court Bar Association (HCBA) Nisar Durrani last year in September. Boy was released in first week of November.

In order to enter house, raiding police team had to use tear gas and heavy machinery to demolish outer premises where dacoits were staying with their families. Operation ended at 8am when the last dacoit was killed. Six women and three children are taken into custody by police after the operation.

IGP Sindh paid rich tributes to slain policemen for sacrificing their lives only to save lives of women and children. “This is why we are recommending special rewards for them and jobs of their family members in higher grades,” Jamali said. He told journalists that police are recruiting force to overcome shortage in the police.

Jamali said that currently 9,000 people would be recruited in police to be followed by appointment of another 25,000 in future. He disclosed that police are buying weaponry and modern equipments to meet challenges of terrorism.

“We are getting bomb proof vehicles and more armoured personnel carriers,” IGP said and added that Sindh government is always forthcoming in assisting provincial police force.