LARKANA: DIG Mazhar Nawaz Shaikh who, along with his Sukkur counterpart, is commanding the ongoing massive operation against dacoit gangs in the riverine areas of upper Sindh, informed Inspector General Ghulam Nabi Memon at a crucial meeting on Monday that as many as 96 dreaded dacoits, including six carrying head money, had already been killed and 434 active gangs of criminals busted in the Larkana police range alone.

Revealing more startling facts about the losses inflicted on the outlaws’ gangs by the Larkana police, the DIG told the meeting, chaired by IGP Memon held in the former’s office on Monday, that a total of 1,658 encounters took place between police and gangsters in the operation to establish writ of law.

Sources privy to the meeting quoted DIG Shaikh as telling meeting that 301 suspected dacoits and “anti-social elements” were wounded and arrested in crackdowns in the gang-infested districts. The held outlaws included 23 who carried bounties, he added.

He said 2,477 dacoits and other outlaws were arrested in the Larkana and 1,353 citizens were saved from being abducted through ‘honey trap’.

Says 96 dreaded dacoits, six with head money, have been killed in 1,658 encounters; 434 active gangs busted

It is pertinent to mention here that kidnappers, changing their voice to females’ through frequency modulation, invite youths to meet them at specified places and then take them away at gunpoint. The kidnappers not only torture them in captivity but also film their ordeal and upload the videos on the social media. They demand hefty amounts from for their families for the release of the hostages.

DIG Mazhar Nawaz Shaikh, who has recently been awarded Tamgha-i-Imtiaz, also told the meeting that a total of 11,839 absconders had been arrested and 15,826 proclaimed offenders netted in during the ongoing operation within the Larkana range.

Regarding seizures of arms from the outlaws, he said they included 100 kalashnikovs, 25 rifles, 481 shotguns, 1,531 pistols, seven hand-grenades and 7,903 live bullets.

The DIG said that after setting up police pickets, considerably vast areas, in kilometres, had been cleared of gangsters. He appreciated performance of the Larkana range police and expressed his confidence about more achievements in the days to come.

Published in Dawn, May 3rd, 2023