SUKKUR: A gang of over a dozen heavily armed outlaws suddenly emerged at the Mirpur-Belo section of M-9 in Ghotki district and started an indiscriminate fire on passing vehicles, wounding a man and a woman, on Tuesday. They overpowered four other men riding different vehicles and took them away at gun point.

Reports from the area suggested that the woman riding a car and the man travelling in a mini-truck received bullet wounds in the attack.

The gangsters stopped several other vehicles and took away four other men at gun point. They herded the hostages into the Belo area near Mirpur and disappeared in the riverine area, some commuters present at the site said.

A strong contingent of police led by the area SHO was chasing the outlaws but the action was continuing till the last reports came in. Reinforcement from different police station was sent to the area, Ghotki district police said.

They said that the incident seemed to be a case of kidnapping for ransom, adding that it was the first incident of its kind on the Sukkur-Multan section of the motorway in which passing vehicles were attacked in such a way with firearms to kidnap commuters. It took place near the police check-post No. 64, they said.

Drug haul

The Shehbaz Rangers seized 25kg hashish and 4kg opium from different vehicles during checking at Umerani Larro within the jurisdiction of the Saddar police station of Jacobabad district on Tuesday.

A statement issued by the law-enforcement agency said that personnel of the 51 wing seized hashish and opium from two passengers.

Published in Dawn, March 22nd, 2023