DADU: A tense calm prevailed on Saturday in many villages near Dadu town as police continued a big search operation for the killers of three members of the Chandio clan amid reports of two rival groups continuing to trade fire for the last two days. There were, however, no reports of more casualties.
A big search operation was launched on Thursday to arrest the killers of three litigants and the driver of the taxi carrying them to a court in Dadu. A fourth litigant was seriously wounded in the attack, allegedly carried out by their rivals in the case.
Police claimed to have managed to bring the situation under control but none of the 10 suspects nominated in the FIR, lodged by the aggrieved side at the Makhdoom Bilawal police station, could be arrested.
Police pickets have been established across the affected area comprising Sahib Khan Chandio village, where the victims lived, Khairpur Nathan Shah, Sita Road, Phulji Station, Rukkan, Piaro Goth and Makhdoom Bilawal village and raids were being carried out for the arrest of the killers.
According to Dadu SSP Rukhsar Ahmed Khuhawar, the Thursday attack was the latest in a series of such incidents involving the two rival groups of the Chandio clan fighting against each other for the past 27 years. At least 40 people from both sides have already been killed and about 30 wounded in the hostile attacks.
The victims were identified as Ali Bukhsh Chandio, son Bahadur Chanadio, Budhal Chandio, son of Mohabbat Chandio, Riaz Chandio, son of Maula Bukhsh Chandio, and Riaz Langah, son of Illahi Bukhsh Langah (the taxi driver). The wounded victim was identified as Hussain Bukhsh Chandio and his condition was stated to be critical.
They had left Sobho Khan Chandio village of Dadu taluka in the morning but armed men ambushed them while they were passing by Sher Mohammed Solangi village within the jurisdiction of the Makhdoom Bilawal police station.
Soon after the attack, Hyderabad DIG Sanaullah Abbasi constituted several raiding teams to arrest the culprits and ordered a big search operation in the area by cordoning off the affected villages.
Published in Dawn, March 29th, 2015
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