SUKKUR: Two citizens kidnapped for ransom about a week ago while travelling along a link road in Shikarpur were safely freed in a gun battle with outlaws in the katcha area near Bagarji town of Sukkur district, police said on Sunday.

Ubaidullah Channa and Arif Abro were taken away at gunpoint by outlaws from along the link road of Jhali Kalwari area about a week ago and the kidnappers were demanding ransom from their families for their release, Shikarpur SSP Singhar Malik said.

He told the media that the police had received a tip-off on Saturday night that the hostages were being shifted from an area falling within the jurisdiction of the Shikarpur police to the katcha area near Bagarji town of Sukkur district. He said a police team rushed to the specified area and noticed movement of suspicious vehicles. The area was cordoned off and the vehicles were chased.

The SSP said the suspicious vehicles were signalled to stop in the Tamachani area near Bagarji but the outlaws opened fire, which was returned.

During the encounter, the outlaws dropped the hostages and sped away, he said, adding that a search operation in the area was under way.

Meanwhile, Channa and Abro were handed over to their families after legal formalities.

Published in Dawn, October 31st, 2022