LARKANA, July 4: The Larkana police have warned notorious dacoits in the region of severe action against them should they target the police force. This warning comes following intelligence reports received by them according to which the dacoits are planning to confront them in response to an ongoing operation.

This was stated by the Larkana deputy inspector general (DIG) of police, Javed Alam Odho, who was speaking at a press conference on Thursday accompanied by senior police officials.

He said: “We have intelligence reports that notorious dacoits namely Rasheed Rind, Qurban Jeho, Rahoo Kharos, Nadir Dahani are preparing to counter the police action to demoralise police.” He added that the operation would only halt once they had either arrested them or killed them.

The DIG also asked Wishoon Chandio (who he said was involved in the kidnapping of three journalists from Qubo Saeed Khan), Ameero Marfani, Sikandar Jagirani, Suleman Mirani and other dacoits to surrender before the police.

Regarding the status of bomb blast investigations in Jacobabad and Shikarpur districts where Syed Shafique Shah Bukhari on Feb 20 and Gaddi-nasheen of the shrine Ghulam Shah Ghazi Syed Hajan Shah on Feb 25 along with suicide attack on MNA Dr Ibrahim Jatoi on May 1 were targeted respectively, the DIG said, “We have clues in two cases while probe was taking place in the third case. But it would be premature to divulge the details.”

He claimed that during the one and a half month time period after the elections, crime in Larkana had nosedived with 98 encounters in which nine gangs were busted, three dacoits were killed, seven injured and 99 arrested. During this time period the DIG also stated that 1,343 absconders and 147 proclaimed offenders were rounded up, 40 kidnapped victims were safely recovered from the clutches of kidnappers. During the encounters two police men had lost their lives and eight were injured. They also recovered two G3 rifles, 18 Kalashnikovs, two light machine guns, two rifles, four repeaters, 41 shotguns, 75 pistols and 1,095 unused bullets. The recovered arms and ammunition were also displayed during the press conference.