LAHORE: Holding two policemen hostage, the notorious Chotu gang has demand the release of its key accomplices, including the ring leader, presently serving sentence in different jails in Punjab for their (cops) safe return.

The gang had abducted the constables from the Katcha area of Rajanpur some days ago. Its key gangsters were arrested during an army-led operation, codenamed Zarb-i-Ahan, launched in the riverine areas of Rajanpur district in April 2016. As a result of the operation, its members, including ringleader Ghulam Rasool Chhotu, had surrendered to the army.

In March 2019, an anti-terrorism court (ATC) sentenced Ghulam Rasool Chhotu and his 19 accomplices to death on 18 counts and slapped Rs6.2m fine on them. They were handed down the sentence under sections of the PPC, the Anti-Terrorism Act 1997 and the Explosive Substance Act 1908.

Demands release of convicted members, including ringleader

The remnants of the infamous gang reorganised their network recently and kidnapped two police constables who were visiting a tea stall at night near Jevan Mor police check post of Rajanpur some days back. The gangsters transported the abducted constables to their dens in the far-flung riverine area from where they put up the demand for their release, a senior official told Dawn.

The official termed it a negligence on the part of the personnel deployed at the check post, saying they should not have gone to the tea stall at night without the support of their colleagues. He said the Rajanpur district police had held negotiations with the members of the gang through some ‘known people’ of the area but they refused to set the constables free.

Police turned down the demand of the kidnappers on legal grounds, saying the gang members had been sentenced by the court of law and the police had no jurisdiction to take any decision in this respect. However, the Chotu gang members pressed for the release of their accomplices, the official said, adding that police had also engaged for negotiations a highly influential businessman from the Mazari tribe of the Rajanpur district.

“He runs an export/import business in Qatar and Bahrain and some European countries from his central office in Islamabad.”

The official said the businessman had links with the Chotu gang members operating in Kacha areas of Rajanpur and the police officers were hopeful that he could be instrumental in mediation between the gangsters and police for the safe release of the kidnapped policemen.

He added that the Rajanpur police had also planned a major ground operation against the gang as a parallel effort to exert pressure on the bandits while the Punjab Rangers had also been alerted in this respect.

Meanwhile, the Dera Ghazi Khan police wrote a letter to the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) for legal proceedings against the social media accounts of the Ladi gang, operating in the district. The accounts had released a clip of the brutal killing of two facilitators of police by the gang.

Prime Minister Imran Khan had taken notice of the incident and issued directions for an operation against the Ladi gang. Police, along with the Pakistan Rangers, conducted a grand operation some days back and destroyed eight hideouts of the gangsters who had abandoned the site. The gang uploaded more clips on social media after the operation.

District Police Officer Umer Saeed Malik told Dawn that an official letter had been sent to the FIA for legal action against social media accounts of the Ladi gang.

Published in Dawn, June 2nd, 2021