Finding no other way out after being encircled, the bandits fired and killed their kidnapped victims to escape. — AP

LARKANA In a joint anti-dacoit operation launched in the kutcha area, the Larkana and Khairpur police gunned down three bandits who, in retaliation, shot dead three kidnap victims on Sunday.

A heavy police contingent supported by armoured personnel carriers (APCs) went deep into the Sharifpur forest and laid siege to an area of eight kilometre radius.

Police and dacoits first exchanged fire at Bathi Keti forcing the bandits to flee. But police continued chasing them and firing took place again at Shahoo-ji-Dhandh where three bandits were killed.

They were removed to Naudero police station where one of them was identified as Akbar alais Akkan Narejo while the identity of others could not be ascertained, said District Police Officer Irfan Baloch.

Information from Balochistan indicated that the unidentified bandits belonged to that province and 'we are in touch with police to clear it,' he added.

We had swept the entire area and reached close to the sanctuary of notorious dacoit Mubeen Narejo who had narrowly escaped after killing three kidnapped victims in retaliation, he said.

The victims were identified as Mohammed Siddik Soomro, Abdul Rahim Kalhoro and Ali Hassan Kalhoro who were kidnapped about a month ago from village Dara in the Khairpur district, he added.

The relatives of the kidnapped persons had reached Naudero hospital to collect the bodies, sources said.

Mohammed Siddik Soomro's mother had died of shock about a week ago, sources said.

Another source said police and bandits exchanged heavy fire when police encircled Burira ferry point, Choor ferry point, Mitho Khuhro and Jak villages where dacoits finding no other way out fired and killed the kidnapped victims to escape.

The killed victims were handcuffed and had fetters. As police tried to evacuate them the APC got stuck up in the mud.

Later police took them on their back and put them in a mobile van standing at a distance of half kilometre.

The Deputy Inspector General of Police Larkana, Sanaullah Abbasi, also reached the spot and supervised the action. The operation against dacoits would continue, said DPO Larkana.

He added that police would kill Mubeen Narejo whenever they came face to face with him. The bodie s of dacoits were lying at Naudero hospital till fling of this report.