RAHIM YAR KHAN: Police killed two members of the Maachhi robbers’ gang on the third day of the grand operation against the outlaws in the Katch area on Tuesday.

Police claimed the robbers, identified as Bakhtiar and Mozzam alias Teelo, were involved in more than 12 heinous crime incidents of kidnapping and murder. Two Kalashnikovs and rounds were recovered from the gangsters.

On Tuesday, police moved forward on the river bed of the Indus as fresh police troops stepped forward towards hideouts of dacoits in Katcha Karachi and Katchi Hyderabad, islands on the river bed, district police spokesperson Saif Ali Wains said while sharing details of the operation.

He said Additional Inspector General (AIG) South Punjab Maqsoodul Hassan, Regional Police Officer Bahawalpur Rai Babur Saeed and RPO Dera Ghazi Khan Sajjad Hassan Khan, Counter Terrorism Department DIG Ghaffar Khan Qaisrani were present in Katcha area while RYK District Police Officer Rizwan Umar Gondal and Rajanpur DPO Mahar Nasir Sial commanded the force.

Police claim to have recovered land from outlaws on Sindh river bed

The police spokesman said the hideouts of criminals were demolished and burned while the hundreds of acres of land in the Katcha area were recovered from the gangs during a search operation. He further said the operation in Katcha area was in progress and all the technical resources and assistance and “heat map” prepared by all security agencies were being utilised.

The police higher-ups hoped to completely eliminate the gangs from the area with the exchange of information by the Sindh police.

During the operation ambulances are also present to provide immediate medical assistance to the personnel.

Earlier, during the first two days of the operation, police had killed a gangster and arrested six others.

DPO Rizwan Umar Gondal is accompanied by Assistant Superintendent of Police Shahzeb Chachar, circle SHOs while armored vehicles and modern weapons are being used in the operation. A heavy contingent of dedicated police and Elite Force are making advancements in the area while police have demolished the hideouts of criminals.

When AIG South Punjab Maqsoodul Hasan and CTD DIG Abdul Ghaffar Qaisrani visited the operation area and reviewed the ongoing operation, performance and overall situation, RPO Rai Babar Saeed briefed them on the operation.

The police officers praised the performance of the personnel for clearing the area of Katcha in just three days.

According to a handout, in order to make this operation successful, modern technical means and the support of all security agencies is being utilised map.

Police have got assistance from the CTD, special branch and all other law enforcement agencies.

Published in Dawn, April 12th, 2023