DADU, June 23: Nawabshah SSP Javed Ahmed Jiskani who is leading a massive search operation for a hostage in the riverine area along both banks of the Indus said on Sunday that some police officials were also involved in the kidnapping business and they got hostages released after receiving ransom.

He told Dawn on phone that some influential persons were pressurising him to release the 30 suspects police had nabbed during the four day operation but despite their pressure, he would not quit the operation against dacoits till the recovery of Dost Mohammad Jiskani.

Jiskani, an estate manager of federal minister Ghulam Murtaza Jatoi and Aqib Jatoi, was kidnapped by a gang of dacoits from near a sugar mill in Nawabshah four days ago. The kidnappers injured him before taking him away.

He said that no political person of the area was ready to help relatives of the hostage but police would continue the operation in Karampur and Mahi Otho forests to recover the kidnappee.

A heavy contingent of police from four districts of Nawabshah, Jamshoro, Naushahro Feroze and Dadu raided several villages in the katcho area in Karampur, Mahi Otho and Kahiro Deero forests on the fourth day of the search operation, arrested 30 suspects and recovered weapons from their possession.

Police cordoned off all roads leading to and from Talti, Sehwan, Mahi Otho, Bhan Syedabad, and Karampur, Kahiro Deero areas, conducted house to house search and torched and demolished several hideouts of criminals, said the official.

SSP Jiskani who has set up a camp in Mahi Otho forest in Jamshoro district to supervise the operation said that police were interrogating excise police officer Amin Jatoi and writing head constable of Chhachhar police station, Jawan Otho, in connection with the kidnapping.

He said that police were arresting on the basis of evidence suspects who had provided shelter to kidnappers, provided them food, supplied weapons and tipped them off in forests.

He said the gang of dacoits comprising Dilo Otho, Mitha Machhi and Chhoto Jatoi were involved in the kidnapping and influential persons of Jamshoro and Dadu districts were supporting the criminals and pressurising police to release them.

Sehwan DSP Fida Hussain Leghari said that 200 police officials of Bhan Syedabad, Mahi Otho and Khairo Deero police stations were taking part in the operation in katcho area.

Dadu SSP Aitzaz Ahmed Goraya has sent more police parties to the katcho area of Karampur and Mahi Otho forests from Aminiani and Khudabad police stations and police lines to reinforce Nawabshah police.