DADU, Dec 31: The victim families of village Gul Mohammad Chandio of taluka Khairpur Nathan Shah staged a demonstration in front of the press club here on Monday to protest against torture of several peasants including women by the armed supporters of a landlord in retaliation to the alleged kidnapping of a girl.

They were carrying banners and placards and raising slogans against landlord Abu Talib Chandio and his supporters who had attacked their houses on Sunday.

Speaking at a press conference here at Dadu press club, Jalal, Rasool Bux, and others said that over 100 armed men had again attacked their houses and tortured the women and the other inhabitants.

They denied that the peasants had kidnapped the daughter of landlord Abu Talib adding he had lodged a fake FIR of kidnapping against them.

They said that on Sunday, over 150 heavily armed supporters and relatives of Abu Talib Chandio had attacked their houses and had tortured women and men, as a result of which the unborn children of two pregnant women, Wazeeran wife of Allah Dino Chandio, and Ashraf Khatoon wife of Ghulam Nabi Chandio, had died.

They said that both women were in critical condition but the armed men were not allowing their relatives to take them to hospital for the treatment.

They appealed Dadu District Nazim and SSP for justice.

Meanwhile a delegation of the villagers met SSP Dadu and informed him about the situation prevailing at village Gul Mohammad Chandio.

SSP Dadu constituted a special team of senior police officials headed by the in charge of the police complaint cell Dadu to investigate the matter.

He strictly directed the committee to submit its report in two days.

SSP Dadu Mushtaque Ahmed Mahar said in his statement if the landlord Abu Talib Chandio was found involved in inhuman atrocities against the peasants, he would lodge FIR against him and his supporters.

Earlier following the alleged kidnapping of the daughter of a retired police official and landlord from village Gul Mohammad Chandio, his armed supporters besieged the houses of the relatives of the kidnapping accused for 10 hours and tortured men, women and children on Sunday.

A team of local newsmen visited village Gul Mohammad Chandio. A hari, Mumtaz, who was seriously injured by the armed men, told the newsmen that the brother of ADIG Mirpurkhas, Pir Mohammad Abbasi, Naib Nazim UC Mitho Babar, Badruddin Abbasi, and the UC Nazim Abdul Sattar Narejo were supporting landlord Abu Talib Chandio and his armed men who had attacked their families.

Another peasant, Jalal, who was also injured by the henchmen of the landlord, said that the armed men had torn the clothes of women. He added that when one woman, Jado wife of Nazeer Ahmed Chandio, offered resistance, she was attacked with clubs and stripped by the armed men.

The armed men threatened the peasants if they did not hand over the kidnapped girl, Sanam, 18, they would kill all of them.

When this correspondent visited Jado, she was in a critical state. She said that the armed men at gunpoint compelled her to dance after stripping and torturing her.

Another woman, Amanat, told newsmen that no one had kidnapped Sanam, but she had escaped with Gulsher to marry him.

She appealed President Gen Pervaiz Musharraf for justice and protection.

When contacted, Abu Talib said that his peasants, Gulsher and six others, had kidnapped his daughter Sanam and he had lodged an FIR against them with Khairpur Nathan Shah police.

He denied that his men had attacked the houses of the peasants and added that they were creating the drama to save themselves.

SHO Khairpur Nathan Shah told newsmen that none of the peasants had come at the police station. He said that he was unaware of the attack by the supporters of the landlord at the houses of the peasants.