SUKKUR: A station house officer (SHO) and a villager sustained bullet wounds in a major police operation carried out against heavily armed members of Shar community to rescue many Jakhrani families, comprising more than 50 men, women and children, from their custody.

Officers and personnel from various police stations of Kandhkot-Kashmore district were drawn for the operation as soon as it was reported that a considerably large group of outrageous Shar community members, armed with sophisticated weapons including rockets, stormed a village of Jakhrani community in the riverine area along Kashomre-Gotki border late Friday night.

The Jakhranis informed police authorities in a distress call that 52 of their community members – 30 men and 22 women, girls and children – were taken away by the invaders belonging to the Shar community and were being herded away into their area to hold them hostage. The further told the police that a number of animals were also taken away.

A strong contingent of police led by several officers was sent to the area to rescue the families.

Grieved over woman’s gang rape and murder, Shar community members had invaded Jakhranis’ village

According to Kashmore SSP Amjad Ali Sheikh, the Shars were challenged on their way which triggered a gun battle between the two sides. He told local reporters at a press conference held in his office on Saturday evening that SHO Nabi Bakhsh Jakhrani sustained a bullet in his head while a villager belonging to the Jakhrani community also sustained bullet wounds during the operation. They were rushed to a nearby government hospital, where doctors referred them to a major hospital in Rahim Yar Khan for proper treatment.

The SSP said that all 52 hostages were safely rescued but he did not say whether any of the invaders was arrested. He said operation against those involved in the invasion and hostage-taking would continue until all of them were arrested.

According to Jakhranis, the armed Shars stormed the the houses of their community members in their village falling within the limits of the Geehalpur police station. They started firing into the air and ransacking the houses. They overpowered many terrified families at gunpoint and ordered them to take all their animals along. They then herded the families and animals – over 40 buffaloes, cows and goats -- towards an adjacent area dominated by Shars within the riverine area. A couple of the invaders occupied a tractor and a motorcycle to drive them away, they added.

Sharing details of the initial inquiry into the whole episode with the media, the SSP said that the hostility between Shars and Jakhranis had started a few days back over the gang rape and murder of a woman belonging to the Shar community. The bereaved family blamed it on certain Jakhrani men. On Friday night, Shar community members invaded Jakhranis’ village to avenge the woman’s gang rape and murder, the SSP said.

He appreciated the police officers and personnel for accomplishing the task of rescuing such a big number of men, women and children unharmed.

Published in Dawn, June 6th, 2022