LARKANA: Jacobabad police claimed to have killed two outlaws of a gang wanted in more than 24 cases of heinous nature while there were reports of minor bullet injuries to two constables received in an operation carried out in the remits of B-section of Thul police station.

The wounded police officials identified as Ali Hassan Odho and Hoat Jafferi were shifted to Chandka Medical College Hospital in the wee hours of Tuesday. Their condition was stated to be out of danger.

Jacobabad SSP Dr Sumair Channa said the killed bandits were identified as Chhutto Banglani carrying the head money of Rs500,000 and his brother Abdul Haleem Peerano Banglani, another hardened criminal of the gang, who was nominated in five cases of encounter registered with different police stations of the district.

Odho suffered three pellet injuries while Hoat Jafferi received bullet wounds.

Another source said three constables were injured, but the Larkana DIG confirmed that an ASI, Ali Gul Choyani, was injured in an attempt to snatching a small machine gun (SMG) from Chhutto Banglani during firing.

Residents of the village of Bakhtiarpur Rahzan Dhori of Thul taluka in Jacobabad district, the two bandits were a symbol of terror in the belt and had actively been involved in road robberies, kidnappings for ransom and police encounters, police sources said.

Police record shows that Chhutto Banglani was wanted in 25 FIRs, majority of which were registered at Thul Police station and Saddar police stations.

His criminal life spanned over 29 years. So far police have found out only six cases registered against Peerano Banglani.

Talking to this reporter, Larkana police range DIG Mazhar Nawaz Shaikh said the operation took around three to four hours while Jacobabad SSP Dr Sumair Channa himself was in command. The bodies were in police custody while one rifle, one SMG and bullets were recovered from their possession, he said.

Published in Dawn, May 11th, 2022